In No Man's Land
by Through the Mirror Darkly
Summary: Second chances are important. Sometimes it takes a second turn to remember who you really are.
1. At First Light

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Buffy and Marvel and everything associated with it belongs solely to its creator. This is not for profit, only amusement for me and for readers.

This will be mainly in Marvel Universe, with light Buffyverse mentions.

Hope you enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter One**

**At First Light**

Elizabeth Summer, not Buffy, not the Slayer, not anything, flinched as the sun hit her eyes for the first time in a long time. Four years, four years she had been locked away in that padded room with only doctors and nurses, more cruel than kind, for company. Blinking as her eyes adjust to the bright light, she let a smile cross her lips, enjoying it's warm dancing across her skin. She took in a deep breath, sucking it in as if it were her last.

"You ready, sweetheart?" Joyce Summers looked at her daughter.

It took everything for Elizabeth not to flinch back from that stare. In her head, in Buffy's memories that were twisted around her own, Joyce Summers died. She knew she wasn't Buffy, she knew that this wasn't that Joyce. Didn't make it any easier. Putting on a smile, she said, "Of course, mom."

Joyce wrapped her arm around her daughter leading her out towards the car. Towards Hank who had the car door open and waiting for them. Abandonment filled her, twice as harshly.

_You left me there in that asylum for four year_, her memories cried. But Buffy's memories cried, _You left mom, dawn and me! _It was become easier, Lizzie as she preferred, to tell herself from Buffy. Ever since the connection had been severed…

***FLASHBACK***

**Running her fingers across the padded walls, Lizzie curled into the corner wanting it all to end. Closing her eyes, she found herself standing on the tower staring at her sister's tearing up face.**

**"Live, Dawn, live for me."**

**And then she jumped. Then the pain came.**

**It was white hot pain, shooting through every inch of her body. Tearing her very being apart like greedy little claws tearing through flesh. And she screamed. And screamed and screamed.**

**She thought it'd never end, but then…it did.**

**And Lizzie found herself in a white room, images moving to and forth. No rhythm, no reason. Voice, distorted and unclear, fell onto her making no sense. Her eyes fell to the center of the room where a bright white light was pulsing and humming with energy. **

**"Hello?"**

**"Hello?" Repeated a voice so close to her, that she would have believed it to be her own. Actually, Lizzie realized as she turned to face the other person, it kinda was. There standing in front of her was a mirror image of her. **

**Not exactly, Lizzie realized. The other her was tan, skinny, but a healthy kind of skinny, with long bright blond hair. Lizzie's hair had faded from bright blonde to its original dark golden, her skin so pale she could pass for Casper's cousin and so sickly thin. No, this other her wasn't her. Lizzie narrowed her eyes, when it came to her, "Buffy? Are you Buffy?"**

**"Yeah," Buffy said, tensely. "Who are you?"**

**"Buffy," Lizzie muttered. "At least, I thought I was, but there can't be two of us. Unless we are like that Vampire Willow episode."**

**"You don't feel like a vampire," the Slayer said, after a moment. "Though you are a little pale, don't you go to the beach at all?"**

**A mirthless chuckle came from her lips, "I wish. But I can't. I'm in the asylum, never got out."**

**Buffy's face fell and she went deathly pale. "Why? Are you a slayer in your world?"**

**"No, I don't…" But another figure appeared in the shiny white room with them. And both Lizzie and Buffy groaned, "Whistler. What are you doing here?"**

**"To fix a problem."**

**"Problem?" Lizzie questioned.**

**"You looked through the looking glass kid, and didn't come all the way back."**

***END OF FLASHBACK***

"Lizze Bear, you alright back there?" Hank looked in his rearview mirror at his daughter. Her expression so vacant, so far away as she watched the California streets pass by in a blur. A crinkle appeared on her forehead, before she turned her eyes towards him. There was a wariness that hit him, very hard and he had to look away. She replied though, "I'm…just thinking."

"About?" Joyce put on the best smile she could muster. Hank sighed, they both were trying to put on their best faces. Both worried that having their daughter back was too good to be true.

"How nice it is to feel the wind," Lizzie said, leaning her face back towards the window as a silence fell over the car. Lizzie closed her eyes and enjoyed the window. Enjoying the fact, that this was just her, not anyone else.

***FLASHBACK***

**"So you saying that Lizzie here some how used psychic powers and connected herself to me and now she's crazy because her mind can't handle two lives?"**

**"Sort of, but not quite." Whistler rubbed a hand down his face. "Lizzie isn't a psychic, psychics see the future. She's not a witch either, but she has an energy. It's very in tuned to emotions and thought, so I guess the best way to put is that she's an empath."**

**"And the connection?" Buffy crossed her arms.**

**"The best they can figure is when you became the Slayer, Lizzie power was so unstable, so unbalanced that it reached out and connected itself to you to try and balance itself. Instead it made Lizzie actually believes that she was actually you and well, the rest is history."**

**"So what's changed now?" Lizzie demanded, crossing her arms over her chest. "Why are we here?"**

**Whistler looked at the two blonde, in similar stances, looking at him both with the same look. So alike yet so different, the messenger thought. "Slayer girl here died. And you have not…yet."**

**"Yet?" Lizzie looked at him in alarm.**

**"You're connected to her, she's dead and needs her peace. She deserves it," Whistler said, "She's going to heaven, whether you get dragged with her or not, is something your going to have to fix."**

**"And exactly how to I do that?" Lizzie snarled at him.**

**Whistler took a step back, hands up in surrender. "Well, usually months of carefully peeling the connection apart, but the Powers didn't think the Slayer would be cool with killing an innocent."**

**"You bet your bottom," Buffy glared.**

**"So they've decided to help out," the messenger said, ignoring the interruption. "I warn you though, it's going to hurt. A lot. Not for her," he pointed at Buffy, "she's dead, can't hurt anymore. You…if you do this, and you live, there are going to miles to go, kid and no take backs."**

**"I don't want to die," Lizzie said.**

**Whistler nodded, walking towards the bright white light in the center of the room and Buffy said, "Wait."**

**The messenger turned to her. The Slayer bounced on the balls of her feet, "What happens if she connects to another Buffy? I mean, there are other worlds."**

**"Don't worry kid, the Powers already thought of that and have talked to Lizzie world's guardians. It won't happen again," Whistler said reaching towards the bright white light. He looked straight at Lizzie, "Good luck, kid. You're going to need it," then paused and looked at Buffy, "then again…if your anything like her, maybe you won't need it."**

**"This is really weird, but I guess, good-bye?" Buffy waved unsure.**

**Lizzie just as awkward. "Good-bye and…rest in peace?"**

**Whistler reached out and moved to shatter the connection when something flung with away from it.**

**"Whistler," Buffy asked, "what's going on?"**

**The white light turned black. The Slayer and Lizzie both groaned, "It's never that easy..."**

***END FLASHBACK***

It had been five months of torture, her body had literally shut down on itself. Nearly dead. And she had come back, but there was still so much to do.

The car pulled to abrupt stop and Lizzie snapped her head forward. Joyce smiled back at her daughter, "Home, sweet home."

"Yeah," Lizzie agreed, hoping her voice didn't seem as shaky as she felt. "Home, sweet home."

And Lizzie flinched when Hank pulled out the wheelchair.

* * *

END OF CHAPTER

HOPE YOU LIKED! PLEASE REVIEW!

Note: Liz's empath will be brought up later, this is not simply to tie her to the Buffy universe. And other BtVS' alter might make appearances.

Also flashback will not be as frequent as they are in this chapter.

Thanks!


	2. Tainted

PaDisclaimer: I own nothing. Buffy, Marvel and all that assiociated with it belongs to its respective owners. This is for not profit or gain, merely amusement.

I would like to thank all those who are tracking this and the read it! :D And to the review, Taeniaea. And thanks for the follows and thanks to everyone who read it! Thanks. :D

This will take place in the Marvel Universe with Buffy overtones and maybe one or two Buffy characters finding there way there. THis is a slow building fic, so bear with me, it's building up to the next story.

Before you bash, Lizzie's Joyce is based off the Joyce from BtVS movie, showing the bad side to Joyce.

This story is also posted up under Cloudleonsgurl on : Story-27495-2/cloudleonsgurl+In+No+Man+s+

* * *

**Chapter Two**

**"Tainted"**

"Sometimes the curiosity can kill the soul but leave the pain  
And every ounce of innocence is left inside her brain  
And through the looking glass we see she's painfully returned  
But now off with her head I fear is everyone's concern

You see there's no real ending  
It's only the beginning  
Come out and play"

-Her Name is Alice, Shinedown

* * *

It was near midnight and she couldn't sleep.

Lizzie rubbed her eyes before looking back at the computer screen. It had been interesting learning about the world through use of the web. She closed the youtube video of a man turning into a giant green rage monster, and sighed. Rubbing her temples, she reached to turn off the lamp when a voice echoed down to her room, "How can you say that?"

It was her mom.

Lizzie tilted her head, looking curiously at the door. She pushed the wheels, rolling forward to the door and leaned to peer out of the crack. "I'm not the one who wanted to put her in there, Hank, you were. You left her there and never once tried…"

"I didn't try?" Hank shouted. "Going off with your boyfriends to Miami? And you call that trying?"

A sound of a hand hitting flesh made Lizzie wince in sympathy, but only for a split second…then, then anger took its place. White hot anger and suddenly she wanted to scream out loud as she could. Gripped the wheelchair as an anchor to push everything back in. She took in a shaky breath that somehow managed to get passed the lump in her throat. Reaching out with a shaky hand, she shut the door blocking out the rest of the fight.

And numbly, Lizzie crawled into bed staring up at the ceiling.

* * *

***FLASHBACK***

"Whistler, Whistler, wake up." Lizzie knelt beside the balance demon, shaking him lightly. _This is bad,_ Lizzie thought as the room began to quake, _and why do I have the feeling it's going to get worse?_

The room changed, rapidly into a desert filled with black sands and an red sun beating down upon them. Lizzie rose to her feet, looking around at the world that laid in ruins and flames. "What the hell?"

"Ditto," Buffy said, narrowing her eyes. Her senses were on high alert, but nothing felt out of place. Just…something that seemed to be familiar with a twinge of wrongness, but somehow it belong here.

Squaring her shoulder, Lizzie also looked about them but spare a glance in Whistler direction and blinked in shock. "The First Slayer?"

"What?"

There in the middle of the room sat the First Slayer, but something was wrong…very wrong. Her vicious eyes that were dark brown, were bloodshot and glowing an inhuman red. Her limbs were twisted in different angles, broken angles that she shouldn't even be able to move, but she did. Buffy raised an eyebrow, "Seriously? This again? I see you didn't take my advice on the shampoo.(1)"

The First Slayer snarled, then lunged forward slamming Buffy into the ground. Buffy hit back, but her arms went right through the First Slayer. "Oh! Come that's so not fair!" The First Slayer didn't care and punched and clawed at Buffy.

Lizzie rushed over without a second thought and slammed into the First Slayer, pushing her off of Buffy. The two went rolling down the hill and Lizzie's world went red and wet. She flailed trying to swim up to the surface, gagging at the copper taste of blood filling her mouth and two arms wrapped her waist with a crushing force.

Kicking the body behind her as hard as she could, her lungs burning with the need for air and fingernails dug into her stomach, viciously scratching it. _I need air, I need air,'_Lizzie thought throwing her head repeatedly into the First Slayer and finally the arms let go.

She kicked upward and blood the surface of the oasis of blood. She heard something behind her surface as well and threw herself towards the black sand where Buffy stood, trying to step towards them, but seemed blocked by an impossible force. "Look out!" The Slayer cried.

Before Lizzie could even respond, a hand wrapped around the back of her throat and suddenly she was whirled around to face a growling slayer who roared into her face. Lizzie's nose wrinkled in disgust, and she coughed out blood, "Two words: breath…mint."

Then she was slammed back into the blood.

**END FLASHBACK **

"Lizzie, Lizzie," Joyce's voice drew her from her dreams.

Her green eyes opened, the hazel flecks appearing yellow in the morning light. "What? Is something wrong?" Lizzie pushed herself, preparing for something bad when her mother placed a hand on her shoulder.

"No, nothing's wrong." Joyce said, with a small smile. "Here's your medicine," she pressed the pills into Lizzie's hand. "Also I wanted you to know I'm heading off to work and your father is working from home today."

"Oh…kay," she said slowly staring up at her mother. "Is that all?"

A frown appeared on Joyce's face, but she nodded, rising from the bed. Guilt pierced through Lizzie's chest and she swallowed. "Have a good day."

Joyce paused in the doorway before nodding. "You too, sweetie."

As soon as the door shut, Lizzie slumped down against her pillow staring at the pills in her hand, before rising and heading towards the bathroom to flush them down the drain when her father's voice reached her ears, "I understand Mr. Von Strucker, but I just need more time, please…yes, sir I'm very aware of the consequences...I'm very loyal to your cause..."

Lizzie looked across the kitchen to where her father's office door sat wide open. Her father looked up as if sensing her there and quickly shut the door. Her eyes narrowed as her stomach twisted in suspicion. Some thing here was not right and it wasn't her.

* * *

Her mind kept replaying Hank's actions. She really tried to let it go, she wanted to make it work with her parents despite all her resentment and misgivings. A hand came down upon her shoulder and Hank said, "Lizzie Bear, it's been so long since you've been home, I almost forgot you were here."

In that moment, every instinct made her want to hit him and she looked up at him, keeping her face smoothed. You did. Lizzie thought, looking up at him. Otherwise, you would have kept your voice down during a private phone call. She mustered a smile, "Well, I'm glad I'm home."

"I am too," he said. "I am too."

Could you sound anymore unconvincing? She thought, not looking at him.

He coughed awkwardly before stating, "I'm going to go grab us something to eat. I'll be back in a minute, okay?"

"Alrighty."

_Paranoia._

Lizzie had this, and she was quite entitled to it. Joyce began distancing herself from the family and Lizzie had accidentally picked up a call from someone named Ted (hopefully not a robot) who called himself Joyce's boyfriend. Joyce had been flustered and Lizzie simply let it slide.

But she wasn't sure she could let what Hank was doing slid. She wasn't even sure what it was he was doing, but when a black van appeared in the driveway across from theirs with someone always watching the house, Lizzie knew in her heart that this was bad. She let the curtain fall back over the window watching the same jogger passed by a third time. She really wished she knew what kind of bad. She placed her head in her right hand with a deep sigh. She needed to know what was going on. Knowing, she could form a plan, figure out how to fight, how to protect. Glancing at her computer bag that sat in her lap, her mind sprung an idea.

Hank had the same, identical computer bag (according to her mom there was a sale) and he kept everything in there, even his wallet saying, "It's convenient."

_Yes, it is,_ Lizzie thought, moving towards her father's office. Reaching up, she twisted the knob. Locked. She ran her hands through her hair when they hit her hair barrette. _Jackpot!_

She hastily pulled out of her hair, and mentally thanked Joey, a boy in middle school she dated who taught her how to pick locks. Stick the hairpiece in the door, she leaned forward and listened as she twisted and turned it…until _Click_. She turned the handle and the door easily opened.

Pushing it in, she moved into the office space, eyes looking for her target. And found it she did, still on a file cabinet to her left. It towered over her tauntingly. "Great," Lizzie thought, reaching up and tugged the computer off the cabinet. She flinched as it the side of her wheelchair. Then she took her own bag, apologizing, "I'm so sorry about this my dear friend," then aimed at the filing cabinet and threw it. She winced as it landed. Hard.

"Phase one: capture…completed," she narrated, making her way out of the office and locked it behind her just in case Hank came home then she could claim they accidentally switched bags again.

Lizzie chose the kitchen counter to settle down at with a soda and Hank's laptop right in front of her. Turning it on, she waited glancing at the clock when the screen popped asking for a password.

She raised an eyebrow and pondered out loud, "Okay…If I was the ever living definition of a douche bag what would my password be?"

Tapping her finger across her chin, she thought about before trying his birthday. Nothing. She tried hers and her mom's birthday. Same result. She typed in every important event or person—anniversary, parent's names—everything she could think of. She even tried a few choice words that she had to call Hank, this world's and Buffy's world's, but none work. Glancing at the clock, she knew she only had a few minutes before she had to switch the bags back. Scratching her head, she said to herself, "How it is that on tv it looks so easy like typing one, two, three…"

She stopped and looked down at the keyboard then shook her head in dismissal. "Nah, it's never that easy…" _Or is it? Couldn't hurt to try, but I know it can't be that…_The computer screen lit up and she blinked in surprise. "I guess it can. Trust Hank to have no imagination."

She looked at all the icons, wondering where to begin before deciding to go into the C:Drive and search for all files and then in one big window, every single files on that computer, hidden and not, popped slowly but surely. There was sure to be something incriminating on them, they had to be. Lizzie moved the mouse across the screen debating on which on to try her luck while taking a sip of her soda. She went to set it down and it fell to the ground, splashing soda all over the kitchen floor.

"Shit." She leant down, and her other arm pressed on the keyboard. The computer beeped making her sit back up. Her eyes went wide as a bunch of windows popped up, pictures of their family, a few contracts with some people, but it went too fast for Lizzie to make it all out. Finally it stopped. "What the hell?" It was a picture of the human anatomy with notes written all around it. Her mind focused on one thing: **Super Soldier**.

"This…this…" Lizzie did not know what to make of this. Her eyes moved to the window barely sticking out behind the main one and she frowned, "Hydra? What the hell does a ugly monster have to do with anything?"

Her hands twisted together as she took a moment. She would never be able to go through all those files before Hank got home, she'd have to download them to a portable drive—the door knob jingled as someone began to unlock it. Lizzie looked up frozen in panic, _Crap! Damn! Move, move, move!_

Her fingers began to quickly dance across the keyboard, closing everything on the computer and the door opened as soon as she got it to shut down. Hastily she shoved it the bag and set it on the counter when she realized on glaring mistake, if Hank had already used his laptop or gotten anything out of it, then he would know that it was impossible for her to 'accidentally' grab the wrong bag.

_Too late_, she tried to appear nonchalant as possible when he set the Chinese takeout bags on the table. "Hey, dad."

"Hey, Lizzie bear, what'cha up to?" Hank said.

"Uh," she said, spotting her soda mess from earlier, "making messes. I tried reaching the paper towels, but there were kinda out of reach."

Hank glanced up at the paper towels to his, "That they are. Don't worry about it, sweetie, I'll get it." And he did so without complaint while Lizzie's heart was racing with worry.

_If you say something, then it'll look better, _Lizzie thought let out a long breath. _And there's the chance he used the office computer not his laptop._Crossing her fingers, she said, "Hey, Dad."

"Yes?" He asked, throwing the paper towels away.

"I think I accidently got computer bags mixed up again, you know after we got home from the doctor's appointment earlier." She paused, putting on her best apologetic face. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. I know you're really busy with work—"

"It's an accident, Lizzie Bear," he waved it off. "It happens, I worked from the other computer anyways." He looked over his shoulder, "You didn't mess with it."

"No, dad," she told him patronizingly mentally counting her blessings. "I think I tell my red laptop from your black one."

"That's good," he muttered, the repeated it under his breath as he got the Chinese takeout of the bags sorting through it.

_I know you are lying Hank because out of both of us, I'm the better actor. _She opened her mouth to say more to see if he would slip up when the front door opened and Joyce's voice rang through the house, "I'm home."

* * *

Lizzie moved the food from one side of the carton to the other then back again as her parents chatted over everyday things like bills and work. Apparently instead of majoring in art like Buffy's Joyce, this Joyce was a nurse. Hank was still Hank, busy days and nights at the office. And Lizzie was thankful for that because it left her alone for the majority of the day.

And Lizzie now more than ever wanted to be alone.

"Elizabeth?" Joyce asked, looking at her daughter's plate. "Aren't you hungry?"

She looked up at Joyce, mustering a weak smile. "Not really."

"Come on, Lizzie, it's your favorite," Hank said, after sharing a look with Joyce. Lizzie felt her lips curl in a slight snarl, did they think she didn't see the way they stepped around? Afraid of saying something hurtful, or afraid to face her in general? She smoothed out her features before informing him, deadpanned, "I just don't have an appetite. Can I go to my room?"

Joyce looked hestitant but nodded. "Yes, yes, you may."

"No." Hank snapped.

Lizzie paused while Joyce sighed, "Hank..."

"No, this is what happened before," her father spoke, staring straight at Lizzie. "I've tried to be patient with her, but she stays distance. What if the doctors were wrong Joyce? What if she isn't better, but worse?"

"Stop," Lizzie felt an angry flicker of rage in the pit of her stomach, "talking about me like I'm not here."

"Hank she's..."

"She's different. She's not our Elizabeth anymore!"

"Damn right I'm not!" Lizzie roared, standing straight up out her chair. Joyce's eyes widened and Hank's mouth dropped open. The surprise of standing would have consumed her too, but the rage was too great. "Did you seriously think that you could put me in that place, that horrible place and expected me to come out back the same? Did you seriously think that? How _stupid_are you?"

"Elizabeth, please! We know how hard this has been on you, it's... it's a hard situation's for everyone, you just have to remember we love you—" Joyce's reply was cut off by Lizzie scoff.

"Hard?" Lizzie demanded, licking her lips. "Hard? For you? I was drowning, I was drowning in these—" She cut off unable to find words and pressed her hands on the table. "I was already in a prison, I was already locked in that crazy," she forced the words out, "_fantasy_world, and I couldn't get out. And you…you decided to add pad locks and chains to that. A prison in an even worse prison! How could do that to me? How—"

The burn in her legs became too much and suddenly she found herself on the ground. She looked down at the floor, letting her hair fall into her face. She wouldn't let them _ever_see her cry.

"Elizabeth—" Hank knelt down.

"No." Her voice was like steel, making him stop. She rolled over onto her belly and reached up with one arm grabbing the chair then the other gripped the seat. And she pulled herself up, then reached for the back of the chair and twisted around before plopping down into the chair. Slumped over, breathing heavily, she took in the silence knowing if she didn't say this, she would never get the courage to say it again, "I tried to understand it, I really did," her voice trembled a moment, one moment before becoming hard and emotionlessly. "But I can't. Maybe it's because I was the one in there with those doctors who hurt their patients more than even try to care for them; maybe that's why I'm so blind to your perspective."

She lifted her head, glaring back and forth between parents. "I'm going to my room."

Lizzie's hands gripped the wheels and rolled away from the kitchen table. She then pulled away, and made her way to her room. _At least I will have some major upper arm strength,_Lizzie thought, her lung burning will the small effort. Opening the door, she went into her sanctuary and shut the door blocking out the world for a moment.

The room was originally the guest room, but her old bedroom was upstairs. So Hank had moved everything down here. The tan walls surrounding her, with a twin sized bed pressed into the corner with a dresser at its foot. A desk sat on the adjacent wall, with a black sleek laptop onto it. She went over it and opened it up, turning it on. Crossing her fingers and peering over them she wanted for the computer to load...

***FLASHBACK***

"Whistler, Whistler, if you don't wake up, I'll rip out you ribcage and make that hat! And I'll use your spine as a walking stick!" Buffy ranted furiously at the balance demon who was still unconscious. "Do something she's-_dying! Hank, make them do something!"_

Doctors rushing around, trying to get Lizzie's heart starting once again and Lizzie-

was sent flying into a near by boulder. Seriously, out of all the places to land, she had to land on the only random boulder is the desert. Groaning, she looked up at the First Slayer who on her in a instant, "Is all the repressed anger because you don't feel like you fit in? Because there is show called the Real Housewives-" The First Slayer backhanded her and Lizzie heard her cheek bone crack as she fell back to the ground.

Glaring, biting her lip trying to fight the pain, she lifted both legs to her chest then kicked out as the First Slayer jumped at her, sending the primordial woman flying backwards. Lizzie scrambled to her feet, putting up her fists, "Round two, you bi-"

_The world titled and something sent a painful jolt through her chest causing her to rise off the bed, but it didn't bring her back. The long and never beep from the heart monitor as the line once again fell flat. _

"AHH!" Lizzie screamed as the First Slayer clawed at her back before flipping her over and holding her down. Buffy was there, swinging, fighting, but she just moved through the First Slayer like the ghost Whistler claimed her to be. The First Slayer ignored the attempted and place a hand over Lizzie's heart.

From that hand a consuming darkness began to bury itself into her heart. "STOP! PLEASE! STOP!"

_Lizzie was going, she was going, she was almost gone. _

The First Slayer turned into a wispy shadow, slowly disappearing into Lizzie when a bolt of red light slammed into the First Slayer making her disintegrate. The constricting pain in her chest lessened and Buffy stood over her, "Are you okay?"

Lizzie nodded, breathlessly. Whistler stood up wiping off his hands, Lizzie said, "I don't remeber you being able to do that..."

"The Powers loaned it to me."

"Could have used it earlier...when I was getting my ass handed to me..." Whistler was deeply frowning, cutting off Lizzie's witty response. "What's wrong?"

"Kid, I am so sorry about that," Whistler rubbed his hands together. "The Powers thought the Slayer might get territorial and try to come through..."

"What was wrong with her?" Lizzie asked. "I know she isn't a people person, but she didn't look like that."

"That's because she's broken, just a piece of a whole," Whistler answered, rubbing the knot forming on his forehead. "The Slayer essescene tried to beat its way through and all that could through was that and well, it's not pretty."

"I think she knows," Buffy glared. "Seeing how she was all about getting personal with Lizzie, trying to tear into her chest."

"What?" Whistler's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

"Look," Buffy pointed at the place on Lizzie's chest, black as charcoal from the First Slayer's assualt.

Whistler knelt down and peered over the wound before reaching out to touch it. A blackness rose over it, like a moving shadow and he sighed. Lizzie asked, "What...what is that?"

"I'm really sorry kid..."

**END FLASHBACK**

Lizzie sat there in front of the mirror looking at the ugly black scar upon her chest, as well as the other running across her back from left shoulder blade all the way to her right hip.

It would forever be a haunting and grim reminder.

* * *

END OF CHAPTER

I may edit this later.

NEXT CHAPTER: ONE FINAL FLASHBACK AND FULLY DIVING INTO LIZZIE'S WORLD.

References: (1) Buffy's comment on shampoo was an tip of the hat to Season Four Episode.

(2) Hank and Lizzie having the same computer bag will come into play at a later date, that's why its in there.

RRs are your document here...


	3. And All Was Well

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Buffy, Marvel and all that assiociated with it belongs to its respective owners. This is for not profit or gain, merely amusement.

I would like to thank all those who are following this and have favorited it and me! Thank you. And thank you to those who read it! :D And last but not least to the reviewers, BaDWolF89!

Warning: This may seemed fast paced, but it's going to be a fast paced story. So, if you get lost or confused, just asked me and I'll try to disfuse the confusion.

* * *

**Chapter Three**

**And All Was Well…(or so they said.)**

Lizzie footfalls were clumsy and awkward as she made her way up the highway, a bag over her shoulder. Dirt, blood and sweat caking her body. Tear stains ran down her cheeks, but her face was stoic.

_How did this all happen? How did this all happen?_

**One Week Earlier **

Super soldier. The term had haunted her.

Nightmares of Adam, Walsh, and Riley all chasing her, trying to tear her apart as she desperately tried to find a way out of this terrible maze. She never did make it out of the maze. By the third time, she woke up from the nightmare, Lizzie threw the covers off and glared at her room.

Enough was enough. Standing up, she made her way out of the room without so much as sparing the wheelchair a glance. Her socked feet were quiet against the wooden floor as she slowly made her way down the hallway.

Lizzie paused at the staircase that led up to her parents bedroom as if one false movement would wake them up. With extra care, she slid past. One step, two step, and a few more and she was safely in the living room. Her hazel eyes roamed around in the dark and she tried looking for her father's computer bag.

_There!_ She mentally crowed in victory. Seizing the bag, she paused for a moment staring at the suitcase beside it. _Why is there…I'll worry about it later. Computer now._ She pulled out the computer and opened it up, despite the sense of foreboding the suitcase had placed in her mind.

_Maybe it was imagination. Maybe I'm just wanting it to be there…_ She typed in the password, doing exactly what she did before. _It could be my imagination, it has to be…it just has to…_ It wasn't. All the files, just like before appeared on the screen and Lizzie stomach sunk.

Placing a hand to her mouth, she closed her eyes. She really hoped it had been her imagination. That her father wasn't involved in something like this, but he was. And Lizzie had to figure out what. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the portable hard drive she purchased and plugged in into the computer.

Her fingers danced across the keyboard impossibly loud in the silence as she started to transfer the files. She bit her lip, mind racing, _What if there was something like ADAM here?_ She already knew about some spider guy in New York and a giant green angry guy that needed some serious anger management. _It isn't that much of a stretch…_

The loading bar popped up and slowly did its job. What was it about computers, no matter how old or new were pains in the ass?

A door opened and Lizzie's head jerked up towards the stairway, then light flooded down. Panicked, Lizzie grabbed the laptop and ducked behind the counter. _Crap! Crap! What to do? What to do?_

Footsteps, lazily made there way down the creaky stairs, and Lizzie glanced at the laptop. It was far from finished copying those files. Biting her lip, she pulled open a cabinet door and balanced the laptop on top of some pans and shut it quietly before making a mad dash around the counter when light flooded over the room. She pressed her back against the wood, looking up at Hank's reflection in the window adjacent from her.

She needed to find a better place to hide. Tilting her head, she listened to Hank's footfalls as he moved hurriedly around the room. He spoke to someone, most likely on a cellphone, "I know, Sasha. I'll be there."

_Sasha?_ Lizzie thought, _Looks like in this universe, Hank is still Hank._

Hank moved towards his office, without giving a glance back because if he had, he would have seen her. Swallowing, she tried to push herself up, but the muscles in her legs spasm causing her to kneel back down. And she bit her lip, trying not to scream. Cursing silently to herself, she once again pushed herself onto the belly, when Hank's footfalls were getting closer to his office door and he was cursing about something. Lizzie looked around rapidly and saw the door way leading down to the laundry was open.

In a split second decision, she pressed her feet against the kitchen counter and kicked with all her might barely suppressing the scream as a terrible pain went through her lower body.

But it worked. Lizzie had used enough force to see her skidding across the floor, the door slamming open for her and she tumbled down the five steps into a pile of clothes. She reached out and grabbed her legs, tears filling her eyes. The pain, it was like hot acid moving through every nerve in her leg. "Ugh!" She hit the pile of clothes beside her in frustration.

"Hold on," Hank's voice reached her. A shadow filled the laundry door and Lizzie nearly groaned,Why the heck is coming down here? Seriously? Are you fricking kidding me? Is this my luck or what?

She pushed herself into the corner before reaching out with shaky hands, pulling as much clothes as she could on top of her and by the time Hank's footfalls hit the last step, she hoped she was hidden.

The light switched on, and she held her breath.

She could see him, through a hole in the mess of clothes hiding her. He moved about, quietly and warily that made Lizzie's eyes narrow in suspicious. He moved around, searching for something and he drew closer, and closer to her hiding spot. She tried to not move or flinch back.

"Aha!" Hank said into the phone. "Told you I'd find them."

He walked past her leaving Lizzie to wonder, _Find what? Find what?_

As soon as the light switched off, she moved. Anger overriding any amount of pain. The lies, the secrets, she couldn't take it anymore. She made her way, shakily up the stairs and saw Hank moving about his office. Narrowing her eyes, she started towards him. She needed to confront him, but she bumped into something.

Blinking, she looked down at the suitcase that had earlier been taunting her. And now on the floor beside it that she had knocked off were two pieces of papers. Kneeling down, she picked them up and flipped them over.

Shock, hurt, and numbness came crashing down on her all at once. She blinked her eyes, trying to fight away stubborn tears. She should have expected this. After all, she knew that he wasn't that different from Buffy's Hank…but she had still…she had still hoped.

Airplane tickets. Two airplane tickets. Two airplane tickets for Barbados on a flight that would leave tomorrow night at 8:30 pm. She resisted the urge to crush the pieces of paper in her hands. She resisted the urge to go and confront him. Instead, she set them back down and threw a book into his computer bag to trick him. She was keeping his damned computer, it was the least him could do. Then quietly she went back and hid in the laundry door way, too hurt or too afraid of what she might do to confront him now. _Let him leave, good riddance._

She was feeling vindictive. And as Hank made his way out of his office saying lovingly into the phone, "See you soon, darling." Lizzie felt entitled to every bit of her anger. She watched him pick up his suitcase and computer, watched him as he walked through the doornever even pausing to look back, not even bothering to give them a second thought. She gritted her teeth together so hard, looking away and held every ounce of tears in.

She wasn't going to cry. She had been through this before. But she really wished that it hurt less the second time around.

But it didn't.

* * *

After a hour, she managed to get up and grab the hidden computer. In the safety of her room, she pushed away all the anger and pain and put all her focus into finding what was going on.

The files she could get into, didn't elaborate much on what hydra was. And the notes on the super soldier appeared to be a formula and chemistry or whatever it was, was not her cup of tea.

The other files she couldn't get into, plagued her. They were encrypted with codes she couldn't even begin to understand or had a way of understand them. Which was weird because she found she was very handy with a computer. As dawn rose, she finally gave up and went to bed for a couple of hours.

But while she slept, she still tried thinking of a way to unravel the mystery.

Little did she know by the time she could, it would be too late.

* * *

"Breath in, breath out."

Her hands clenched. That bastard left. He left them. He probably wouldn't call until he was about to board the plane or perhaps send them a nice post to rub in it.

"Breath in, breath out…good. Good." The cold metal was removed and Dr. Bowlin turned to Joyce, "Everything seems to be in good shape. Miles away from where it was when we started and Dr. Smith says that she is doing brilliant in psychical therapy…"

Lizzie let the conversation slip to the back of her mind, _Could there be another Adam walking around? What does Hank have to do with? And why did he leave us again?!_ Her thoughts were cut off when Dr. Bowlin said, "I would like to get a sample of the scar tissue…"

No! It was all Lizzie wanted to scream. Getting scar tissue meant cutting, which meant some type of surgery which meant more time in this…this hell. Too clean, too neat, with doctors and nurses putting on fake smiles saying they'd make you better when they'd rather lock you in a room then deal with you and—Lizzie closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath pushing away the memories of the asylum. She then raised her head glaring at the doctor when Joyce replied unsurely, "If you think it's for the best?"

"And what if I don't think it's for the best?" Lizzie questioned.

"Ms. Summers," Dr. Bowlin's tone was the one she heard from Snyder, the 'I know better than you' tone, "you died."Wouldn't be the first time. "We barely manages to resituate you, then these scars appear. In my entire medical career I have never seen anything like it. For all we know this could be a serious—"

"And until it becomes serious, I have no intention of staying in a hospital longer than I need to," she informed him. "Mom, can we go?"

Dr. Bowlin looked at Joyce. "Mrs. Summers, I must insist—"

"My daughter has made her decision and that's that," Joyce crossed her arms over her chest, in full momma bear mode.

* * *

The van drove steadily on the road and Lizzie leaned her head against the window. Joyce glanced over and she opened her mouth then thought better of it.

Lizzie sat up turning to her mother, "What is it mom?"

"You always read people so well," Joyce murmured and Lizzie shrugged, "Suppose so." A side affect of being able to 'see' connections, or so those damn oracles say. Stupid oracles, didn't explain anything!

"Now," Lizzie asked, "what's on your mind?"

"You're not even going to offer me a penny?"

"Do you have change? All I have is a nickel."

Joyce laughed, and Lizzie felt a real smile tugging on her lips. Her mother looked at her before sighing, "It's just your father and I…it's a bridge you're going to have to cross, but we wondering how you felt about schooling. I mean, since you never…never finished."

Lizzie blinked. That wasn't what she had expected.

"We can't enroll you in a public school, but there are online schools or you go get your GED—" Joyce was cut off when Lizzie burst into laughter. She pressed a hand to her mouth to stop them, but it didn't help.

"I'm sorry," Lizzie apologized. "I didn't mean to laugh…it's just, it's so random andnormal, it just caught me off guard." She finally managed to stop her all consuming giggles and informed Joyce, "Mom, I got enrolled in an online school months ago."

"What?" Joyce was beyond baffled. "How?"

"Dad feels guilty and gives me an allowance," she said. _If only he felt guilty enough to stay._ She really wasn't looking forward to telling mom about Hank.

Joyce glowered at the road. "Of course he does. There's nothing in the world that can't be fixed with money to your father."

"Anyways," Lizzie stated, drawing her mother from her anger, "I guess he forgot I don't go out anymore or expects to spend it online or something, but I decided to put it towards finishing my high schooling. And I still had enough left over for a couple pairs of shoes."

"Oh, thank goodness," Joyce placed a hand to her heart. "For a second there, I thought the doctors had replaced my daughter with a pod person." Both of them laughed lightly and Joyce turned the van onto the main strip. "But in all seriousness, I'm very proud of you. You're getting up and going for things without letting anything, or anyone hold you back."

"Thanks, mom."

Joyce smiled, looking about when something caught her eye. With a mischievous grin, she turned on the turn signal and Lizzie looked at her. "Where are we going?"

"We are going shopping."

* * *

"You know this one will make your ankle slender," Lizzie held the silver high heel up for Joyce to , it felt good, she thought with a smile.

"Oh, Elizabeth where would I wear it?" Joyce asked, though there was gleam in her eye as she looked over it.

"Anywhere," Lizzie replied, with a raised eyebrow. "Everywhere, who says you can't wear a sensible shoe to go grocery shopping?"

Joyce smiled softly, but inch by inch the smile fell off her face. Finally, she stared somberly at the shoes around them before looking at Lizzie. "Elizabeth…" she began. "I…there's something I have to tell you. You see, you father and I…well, we've been having problems for a long, long time now and I…I've had an affair…"

"Does this explain why I look so much like the milkman?" Lizzie felt uncomfortable. This was way too close to what she had to tell her mom about where Hank had gone off to and she wrung her hands together, not looking at her mom.

"No, no, you're Hank's."

"Really? Are you sure…that I can't be someone else's?" Lizzie kind of would help my sanity a great deal, if I wasn't his.

"I'm sure!" Joyce stated, a little too firmly. She then took in a deep breath and started, "I…that call I got the other day, the one you answered. That's the man I'm…"

"Mom, I know." Lizzie stopped her. "I kinda figured it out a while ago."

"How?" Joyce looked shocked.

"Okay, I know I'm blonde mom," she said, letting a teasing smile cross her lips, "but give me some credit here."

Tears gathered in Joyce's eyes. "I never wanted you to know."

"Well," Lizzie shrugged, "don't be upset. I understand it. I know you and dad have had you're problems and I know you wouldn't go…to someone else if something wasn't seriously wrong. I know that doesn't make it right, but I understand it. So, you don't have to worry about it."

Her mom seemed frozen as Lizzie pretended to look over shoes with interest and finally, Joyce let a touched smile appear on her lips. "So do you think it'll make my ankle look slender?"

"Absolutely," Lizzie grinned, looking at her mother. Then her eyes drifted over to the shop behind her mother's shoulder. It was a computer shop.

"Hey, mom, I need to go get something for my computer, do mind if I…sneak by you?" she gestured to the shop.

"Go ahead," her mother nodded. "But in ten minutes we're heading to the food court, so be quick."

"Okay," Lizzie put her hands on the wheels and rolled towards the computer shop. She made her way in, ignoring the stares sent her way. She was getting kinda used to it and glanced around. Geez, computers looked a lot different in 2010 than they did in 2001. That timeline difference between her and Buffy's world had made the adjustment a lot harder for Lizzie.

She was still adjusting truth be told.

"You look a little lost."

She looked up at the employee and nearly swallowed her tongue. _I'm Lizzie, not Buffy! I'm Lizzie, not Buffy! I'm Lizzie, not Buffy!_ She repeated the mantra as she stared up at the young man with spiky orange hair and a laid back smile that was all too familiar. He blinked looking at her, "You okay?"

"Yea," she replied, pushing the shock to the back of her mind, "yes, sorry. You…you look like someone I know."

"I get that a lot," he said, with a small easy grin.

_Probably not in the way that I mean it,_ she thought, before holding out her hand. "Lizzie Summers."

"Daniel Osbourne," he took her hand, giving it a firm shake. "So, lost?"

"A little," she started then admitted. "A lot. I don't know where to begin."

"What are you looking for?"

"I'm looking for something to break codes, or ciphers on certain files," Lizzie answered. Those files were still taunting her even now, she pinched the bridge of her nose, and she didn't like not knowing. Especially something that had Hank freaked out. _I should have sucked it up and confronted him._

"Wow," his eyebrow shot up. "That wasn't what I expected."

"I find that doing what is expected is boring and repetitive," she said, giving a half grin. "Now being unexpected is refreshing."

"Too true," he said, running a hand through his hand. He then glanced around the store before shaking his head. "I have to tell you though, you aren't going to find anything like that here."

"Why not?"

"For one most encryption breakers are more for government use, not so much public," the Oz look alike informed her, tilting his head. "Except the hackers out there. You might find something online."

"Oh…" Her shoulders slumped. "Well, thanks."

Lizzie made to turn away when he said, "Hold on." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a card. He held it out to her, "If you go here, you will probably find someone to help you."

She took the card looking down at it.

**TronTalk Café  
Jefferson and Boulavard  
Los Angeles, CA  
555-5555**

"No catchy slogan?" She ran her thumb over the neon blue lettering on the pitch black paper.

"We are working on it." He shrugged.

"And there is someone there who can help me?"

"Most likely, though it isn't cheap," he warned her.

"Money is not an issue," she shrugged off easily. "Thank you, Oz."

"Oz?"

Heat rushed to her face as she realized her slip up and she said, "You're last name Osbourne…Oz. Sorry, I…I tend to make up nicknames and don't think about it before it's foot in mouth…"

"No," he said. "Oz, it's pretty cool. I like it."

"Elizabeth."

Her head jerked to the entrance where her mother stood there, arms crossed and an amused look going from her to Oz. Lizzie almost slapped a hand to her forehead in frustration. She looked up at Oz, "Thank you for your help."

"You're welcome. See ya around."

"Yea…see ya."

Lizzie made her way to her mom, feeling a lump in her throat. Part of her wanted to scream, perhaps it was the nostalgia from Buffy's memories that made her so weepy and hurt this moment. Trying to shrug it off, she put on a smile, "Hey, mom."

"Hi." Joyce grinned. "So…he's cute."

"Isn't he a little young for you?"

"You know what I mean."

"Yea," she muttered, "I know." _Strangely enough Oz still feels like a friend, even in this world._ She repeated that last line again to firmly remind her. "Can we go home?"

"You're not hungry."

"Not anymore."

* * *

Okay. It was a lie.

Her stomach growled so loud, that her mother had to pull over the car because she was laughing so hard. Lizzie whined, "It's not funny." But that only had made Joyce laugh more. Finally after the laughfest, Joyce drove to the store and they got stuff to make homemade pizza.

And that's where, she discovered where Buffy had been severely culinary deprived that she, Lizzie was…just a bad, if not worse. Okay, she could prepare the food and got it ready. She went to cook it and the oven just hissed and threw sparks at her, so she really didn't want to test just how good her cooking skills were. It was like tempting fate.

Instead, Joyce put the pizza in the oven. "I swear you could burn water. Perhaps, its safer if I do this by myself."

With a pout, Lizzie crossed her arm. "Are you implying I'm dangerous?"

"Are you implying that you're not?"

Lizzie would have laughed if it didn't drag up a memory that had been weighing on her heavily.

**FLASHBACK **

Lizzie could see connections, the underline to magic itself or some such. The oracle, golden and blue, hadn't explained it much. All they had really explained that was, Lizzie's power was unanchored or unchained, just thrashing around wildly and would have eventually got someone's attention.

It had just been her luck that when her powers were reaching out, that Buffy had just became the slayer, giving something to grab onto. The broken mass of the First Slayer, that was chained onto the marble floor not to far away from where Lizzie and Buffy stood, was the result of Buffy drowning.

The Slayer essence had broke when Buffy awoke alive and a broken piece had made its way through the grapevine to Lizzie. A shiver ran down her spine as the First Slayer hissed and snarled against her binds. She really didn't want to think about what having that thing inside her mind meant. So she shifted her focus to Buffy, who stood staring at Whistler who was talking to the Oracle he had brought them to.

"You know," Lizzie began, "this is so weird. I mean…I was you, or thought I was, for some many years. It's weird that…I'm not going to be that anymore."

"If it makes you feel better, it's weird on this side too," Buffy replied with a shrug. "But who am I—or should I say we—if not able to deal with the weird?"

"True," Lizzie acknowledge.

"Hey, Slayer," Whistler said, walking up to them. "It's time."

Buffy stood straight, squaring her shoulders then glanced at Lizzie, "I'm not sure what to say to you. I don't think good-bye is enough."

"I don't either," Lizzie rubbed the back of her head.

"Wait," Buffy brows furrowed. "I do know what to say. Thank you."

"Huh?" That threw Lizzie for a loop.

"Thank you," Buffy repeated firmly. "For being there, even if it wasn't intentional. In those moments, the hard ones where I thought I was alone, it's nice to know even now that I really wasn't. So thank you."

"…your welcome…" Lizzie whispered, unsure of what else to say. Buffy pulled her counterpart into her arms for brief hug before turning back to Whistler. "Alright, let's get this over before I decide I need a hat?"

"Okay, okay," the balance demon held up his hands in surrender before waving his hand a bright light vaguely like a doorway appeared. Buffy looked at it before pouting.

"That's it?" The Slayer asked. "No loved ones to greet me, no life flashing before my eyes—"

"That happens when you die," Whistler pointed out, but was ignored.

"—no parade," Buffy ranted.

"Not even a balloon," Lizzie added.

"Right! Thank you!" Buffy crossed her arms, eyeing Whistler with a small glare. "Not even a balloon."

Whistler just shook his head with a small laugh. "That's all on the other side Slayer. You just have to walk through."

"Wow, you know, I thought I was ready," Buffy spoke, her voice quivering ever so slightly. "But now that I'm here, I…am really not sure."

"If it helps," Lizzie echoed the slayer's words from earlier, "neither am I." She reached out placing her hand on Buffy's shoulder giving it a squeeze of encouragement. "But you'll make it through. Always have, always will."

Then Lizzie let go, taking a step back.

Buffy bit her lip, before taking a step forward. Then another. Soon she found herself just a breath away from the light and she took a breath letting all her friends and families' faces go through her mind before stepping in. The light wrapped around her like a long lost friend welcoming her home. All her fears, all her doubts washed away and she was left with this peace. A beautiful peace.

Lizzie watched as a true smile crossed Buffy's face before she faded away into the light. "Good-bye, Buffy."

It was a deep sadness that filled her. A sense of panic as well. Where did she go from here? She had been or thought she had been Buffy for so long? What did she go now?

"Child." Lizzie head snapped to the two imposing oracles who stared down at her with impassive looks. "It is time to severe the connection."

"I thought Whistler was going to severe it."

"He used the borrowed power to chain up the abomination," the male oracle stated, coldly.

Abomination? Lizzie blinked before her eyes looked over at the First Slayer, now whimpering. It appeared she had long given up fighting against the binds. Lizzie asked, "What will happen to her?"

"It is none of your concern."

That was not the right thing to say, for Lizzie back straightened and she glared up at the oracles, "I'll think you find that if exactly my concern."

The two oracles glanced at each other; the look they shared spoke volumes. Lizzie felt the hair rise up on her neck as the male oracle confirmed her fears, "The Slayer Essence has healed, there is no need for this shattered piece to come back so it will be disposed of."

"You…you mean disposed of like killing it?"

"Does the word disposed mean something other?" The male oracle asked blasé about the conversation.

Her eyes locked with the red, insane ones of the broken First Slayer and Lizzie whispered, "No…" Her head shook. "You can't…she's your champion, you can't…" Her hands curled into fists.

"What?" The male oracle blinked.

"I said hell no!" Lizzie snapped glaring at him. "I don't care how broken or how twisted that she's become! She is still a champion, and she deserves better than beingdisposed of. Abomination or not."

"She is no longer meant for our world," the male oracle began, but the female one held up her hand to silence him.

"But perhaps, she is longed for another," the female oracle stepped down from her pedestal and stopped a foot away from Lizzie. Lizzie lifted her chin, not letting her intimidation presence scare her down. "Perhaps, there is another way."

"The connection—" Whistler started.

"Can still be severed," the male oracle said, tersely. "If you do this then this will be on your head alone."

The female oracle nodded slightly. "Indeed." Her piercing eyes seemed burrow their way into Lizzie's soul. "Do you really care for this creature's life even after all she has done to you?"

There was no pause. Lizzie instantly knew what to say, "How could I not? She's been a part of me for so long, how could I not care?"

The female oracle nodded, as if finding what she was looking for. "This will not be easy, nor will it be quick. The path you have chosen is one you cannot stray from, or you may never find your way back…"

"What?"

"There will be a darkness and men of power all trying to pull you in. Make your world go black, but do not fear, even in the darkest of place…all you need to do is find your light and you will be home."

The female oracle twisted her wrist and the connection was snapped, and Lizzie arched off her hospital bed with her mother screaming for the nurses and doctors.

**End of Flashback **

"Lizzy, pizzas done," Joyce pointed to the table.

"Oh, sorry," Lizzie grinned. "Was lost in space."

"I noticed," Joyce teased her.

Lizzie made her way towards the table, but stopped about two feet away from her mom. She watched Joyce move about setting the table and let a smile cross her face. At first when Buffy moved on, she had been terrified, scared of what to do, where she would go?

Smiling, Lizzie grinned up at her mom who turned to face her. _This…being here. This is might just be the best place to start…_

Glass shattered, and something warm and wet splattered over her face. Blinking, Lizzie rolled back at looked up at her mom's startled face and then she looked down at her mom's white blouse.

It was red.

"Sweetie, you…you have something…" Joyce numbly reached out to wipe Lizzie's face when she slumped to the ground, unmoving.

"Mom?" Lizzie asked, her voice strained as a lump built in her throat. A tear ran down her cheek. "Mom?"

"MOM!"

* * *

End of Chapter

RRs are appreacited.

Next chapter we will really get to see Lizzie in her world. No more flashbacks! And don't worry, Hank isn't getting away that easily and there will be more Oz.


	4. A House Aflame

A House Aflame

Disclaimer: I own nothing! No Buffy, no Avengers! I don't own them, I am just writing this for amusment.

I would like to thank all those who are tracking this and the whose who read it and the review it!

* * *

**Chapter Four**

**A House Aflame**

**"Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it."  
~Reaper Man, Terry Pratchet**

* * *

The door was slammed in by men (if any neighbors looked out, they would see SWAT teams, and be none the wiser) and three filed in, large guns drawn. The one ahead of the rest held up his hand as he maneuvered through the living room and into the kitchen. His eyes moved over two women lying in the giant pool of blood. He snorted, "Tell Mickey, he took out two birds with one stone."

He tapped the young blonde haired woman's face with his boot. Too bad she was dead, she was a looker…  
The team moved forward, searching around. The leader gestured for one to go up the stairs, one down the hallway while he went towards his office. He started tearing through it, opening file cabinet, drawers, searching for the computer and documents to recover them when he saw something move out of the corner of his eye.

The wheelchair had rolled back a foot from where it had been. His eyes then were drawn to the bloody spot on the floor. Where only one body laid and the other missing. He pressed his earpiece, "We got a target mobile! Repeat, we've got a target mobile."

* * *

Lizzie held her breath as the men came in. It was hard to keep her face painfully blank as the warm blood sunk into her clothes. It was hard to keep everything back as her mother only lied inches away dead. The men came walking in and the man had the audacity to snort, "Tell Mickey, he took out two birds with one stone."

She wanted to launch up and rip his face off. But she didn't. They had guns, she'd be dead before she even got an inch off the ground. She watched, unflinching as the boot nudged her face and the man stared down at her as if appraising her. Her stomach twisted violent, and she fought the sudden urge to throw up.  
His foot pulled away letting her face slap back down into the blood, her throat violent twisted with the need to cry. Something deep inside her grabbed the pain pushing it down, out of her reach. And it gave her strength in that pains place.

She waited, waited until they all split up. All of them looking away from her, she had to move now. She looked at her mom, staring at her. Closing her tearful eyes, she pressed a kiss to her forehead before saying, "I'm so sorry, I'm sorry..." She pushed down the sobs, then shoved herself off the ground, but her leg slipped kicking her wheelchair sending it backward. She didn't stick around to see if anyone say. Instead, she dashed up the stairs. _A girl in a wheelchair, they'd never…_

Except she came face to face with one of the gunmen as she clobbered up the last of the stairs. She watched him nearly jump back in shock, but instinctively she reached out. She grabbed him by the gun he held and twirled him around then shoved him down the stairs with all her might, he pulled the trigger, and Liz could feel the bullet pass right beside her. The gunfire stopped when he hit the bottom of the stairs with a sickening thud and didn't get back up. Her body protested and she slumped slightly against the wall, staring down at him taking deep, deep breaths.

Then another one gunman appeared at the bottom of the stairs by his buddy. "Randy?" And he looked up.  
Lizzie shoved herself off the wall and down the hallway, when gunfire broke out behind her. She stumbled down the hallway, hearing them shout after her and she threw herself into her parent's bedroom, shutting the door quietly behind her. Pressing a hand to her pounding chest, she thought, _We were supposed to be normal...we supposed to be safe..._A sob racketed her shoulder as she just wanted to curl up in a small ball and die.

But she couldn't...she just couldn't.

* * *

The door slammed opened, from the bedroom and the bathroom connected to it. The two men, one in each room looked around. The leader's eyes moved around the green tile, and then stared at the shower. It was empty. And it was the only place to hide in here. He turned going into the bedroom and spotted something off right away, "Handler."

Underneath the edge of the bed, was a bloody shoe picking out from the sheets. Handler nodded, moving away from the open closet and knelt down. He reached out slowly before snatching the shoe…that wasn't connected to anything. It was just a bloody shoe. The leader suddenly cried out as box hit him across the face sending him stumbling back and by the time Handler got to his feet he almost missed the blond blur dashing out the door. "There! She's there!"

She went down the steps three at a time and almost face planted into the ground, if she hadn't grabbed the stair rail at the last moment. She swung around, and saw into her father's office. It hit her. They were looking for something. _Idiot, why didn't you think of it?_ Her eyes drifted over to the body before she gave herself a shake. She couldn't just stand here mourning, not right now. _What are they looking for…the computer!_

She made a dash for the hallway, but paused glancing at the gas stove. Biting her lip, she turned everything on and wrinkled her nose at the smell fill up the air. _Now, weapon, need a weapon…_Her eyes landed on the knife setting on the counter and she snatched it, sliding up her shirt sleeve before ducking behind the counter as the steps creaked ominously.

Slowly she made her way to the edge of the counter and peered around through the doorway. The two guards were at the bottom of the stairs…directly in her way to her room. She had to get them to move…she had to get them to move…she turned to the cabinets. Pulling one open, all she found were pans, then she pulled open another, it was just tub wear. Third time was the charm; she found it full of junk.

Papers, candles, card, dice…she grabbed the dice and closed the cabinet behind her as quietly as she could. Licking her lips, she paused to hear them getting closer and closer. In second, they could peer around her and see her. She glanced towards her father's office across the kitchen and the living room before holding up a di and threw it.

It soared through the air, hitting the office door with a loud pop. The footsteps had paused before they started heading away from the kitchen and towards the office. Lizzie slowly rose, ignoring the burning and the way her legs almost went slack and made a mad dash toward her room. She slid through the door, her eyes around anxiously searching around as her mind raced. _Where was it? Where was it?_

There! She jumped forward, pulling the computer bag towards her and looked through it. The computer and the flashdrive were safely in there. Looking at her window, she climbed onto the bed looking over it. But it wasn't one that opened. She couldn't get out this way.

"…saw something…"

Lizzie whirled around and leaped off the bed, hiding behind the door. She held her breath, keeping her eyes on the door until the barrel of a gun peeked through. She pushed all her weight onto the door, and the unsuspected guard cried out. She pulled the door open, jumping over the guard, but he reached out catching her leg. She fell to the ground, and looked back. The guard spat out, "You bitch!"

Glaring at him, she used her other leg and kicked him right in the face. His nose cracked underneath her foot and he cried out, letting her go. She hastily pushed herself up, slinging the bag over her shoulder and ran down the hallway. _Closest exit…back door in kitchen…_, as soon as she stepped out from the hallway, her eyes locked onto to it. And she tried sprinting for it, but she made it only halfway across the kitchen when arms wrapped around her. She let out a scream, her feet not finding any traction against the bloody kitchen floor and she fought against her capture.

"Looks like when finally caught a mouse," the man snarled.

"Let me go!" She kicked, tried to claw out of his arms, but nothing could break his hold.

"That…that bitch kicked me!" The leader of the team snapped.

Handler laughed, which made Lizzie tense. "You such a wussy."

Lizzie steeled herself and glared. "Wussy? What are you like five? And seriously, caught a mouse? You're like a cheesy comic book villain but without the freeze ray! Or actually scary!"

"You little…" Handler stated moving toward her when the team leader said, "Hold on…well, look at this…how much you want to bet me this is laptop with the files we're supposed to recover?" He tugged at the computer bag. "Looks like the little mouse came with a present."

Lizzie looked down into her mother's eyes, rage building once more. "That isn't the only present." The knife slid out of her sleeve and right into her hand. She buried the blade right into the man's thigh and he let her go, stumbling over her mother's body and right into the stove.

The next moment happened way to fast, Handler raised his gun and pointed it at Lizzie who retched the kitchen door open...and gas fumes filled the team leader's nose and he realized what was going to happen. "Handler, NO!"

But it was too late the trigger was pulled and the spark shot into the air, and Lizzie felt heat rush towards her back shoving her forward into the rainy night. She slammed into the muddy ground. She coughed, spitting out the muddy water she gasped in and rolled over to see her house, in flames.

The pouring rain doing nothing to stop the raging inferno as smoke rose into the sky as a beacon. Shouts came from all around her, Lizzie made to push up but her legs were useless. Reaching out, she pulled herself into the rose bushes her mother had been so proud stating, _"We'll beat Missus Winslow's in the best garden at the fair this year._

_Sorry, mom…they ain't going to be looking at any roses._She tried to pretend the tears gathering in her eyes was because of the smoke, but the hole in her chest said otherwise. She hid under the roses just in time because when she glanced out at the flooded yard, she saw multiple pairs of feet rush into the back yard. Some of the people were cursing, someone were panicking. "We've gotta move."

"But survivors…"

"No one would have survived that…and if they did, we'll find them."

Lizzie eyes closed, the exhaustion catching up to her and the world went black…but not for long as sirens roused her from her brief slumber. Red and white lights flashed through the night like lightning and she saw firemen had replaced the others. Groaning, she rolled out from the bushes and a fireman paused then rushed over to her, "Dear God, you're alive."

"I…If this is living," Lizzie choked out, "I don't particularly want to."

The fireman stared down at her with pity, and helped her to her feet. She leaned on him and limped all the way to the ambulance when a familiar face stood there examining the bodies. She let go of the fireman and started towards the man. When she reached him, she asked, "Dr. Bowlin?" The doctor hummed and turned around, he almost jumped back grabbing his heart at the sight of her. "Dr. Bowlin what are you doing here?"

"You're…you're alive…" Dr. Bowlin said, surprised.

She supposed it was a normal thing to say when assuming one was dead, but the way he said it. The surprise behind it, something was wrong with that. She wasn't sure how, but it was. Narrowing her eyes, she tilted her head, "Why do you sound so surprised?"

"The…the explosion, I didn't think anyone could survive…" He put on a smile. "You are very lucky."

"I think people who lose their mother's to explosions aren't very lucky," Lizzie said, her lips twisting up bitterly.

"Oh…oh, yes," he glanced back at the body, "I'm so sorry for your loss."

He said the words, sounding sincere, but there was something boiling in Lizzie stomach. She nodded her thanks, but never took her eyes off of the man. "Me, too." She repeated her earlier question, "What are you doing here?"

"I…they called me to identify the body," Dr. Bowlin explained.

"Don't they traditional do that at the morgue?" She didn't like it. She didn't like how matter of fact she was acting in this moment.

"Well, yes, but with this…they wanted answers quickly."

It was like a web of lies, Lizzie realized, it was almost as if every word, every lie coming out of his mouth, she could see it exactly for what it was. Blinking rapidly, she watched as the light lines faded away leaving her staring at the doctor. "Of course," she stated, hoping her voice didn't sound too deadpanned. "I completely understand." She shifted the bag on her shoulder.

His eyes were drawn to it and lit up. He looked up at her, "Child, let's get you some help."

Lizzie shoulders tensed as he tried to usher her to the ambulance. She took a step out of his reach, "I think I've had enough help from you."

Dr. Bowlin blinked owlishly. "You must have hit your head child. Come let's get you sat down and get that bag off your shoulders…" He tried reaching for her again, but once again Lizzie side stepped.

Anger boiled to the surface and Lizzie said, "I don't know why I didn't see it. I saw the van, I saw the joggers, I saw everything else, but somehow in my mind it didn't connect. A doctor…who just happens to move into town, a doctor specialized in exactly what I needed for my recovery…tell me, who did you report to? Was it Hank being a jealous lover…no, Hank didn't give two shits. No, you must work for the same guy Hank does…Von Sucker?"

"Strucker!" The man snapped, outing himself.

"Whatever." Lizzie replied, tartly. The lid on her bottle of anger and hatred was off and there was no way of putting it back on. "Point is…your boss sent men to my home," each word her voice got darker and meaner until she was right up in his face, "and had my mother killed and tried to do the same to me, over a laptop…and you know for some reason, I find hard to believe those men were actual police. I wonder if I went over to those nice gentlemen in uniform and handed this over what they would do to you and your boss."

"If you think an LA police force can take down Hydra than you are blonder than I thought," he snorted, arrogantly.

"And you're stupider than you look." Lizzie smiled. "Thanks for the info."

"Info?" He blinked.

"Hydra. I was wondering what a mythical creature had to do with super soldiers. But thanks to you I know its your name, probably some kinda of government or terrorist thing since a LA police force can't handle it," Lizzie stated, smugly. "Normally, I would say something about overcompensating, but I'm not witty mood."

"And what do you think you are going to do? Stop us?" He spat.

"Oh, no," Lizzie shook her head, a sense of righteous anger filling her as she leaned in, as if confiding something, "I'm going to…destroy you. I'm going to find every single one of you and won't stop until you dead, and I'm going to do it with a song in my heart and dance in my step laughing all the way."

She pulled back sending him a glare that would send Angelus running for the hills. "Please, tell me that your boss didn't think that you would come in, take away everything that meant something to me and get away with it?" She turned to walk off.

"If you don't hand over the bag, we'll kill you before you take another step."

Lizzie slowly twirled back around. Tilting her head, she said, "You know…when bluffing, you need to actually be able to back it up."

His face scrunched up in confusion. She put her hands on her hips and with attitude her momma gave her stated, "The whole neighbor, plus cops, firemen, even a tv crew is just on the other side of this ambulance is here. Someone getting shot and by a sniper…" Lizzie put on a fake surprised and earnest expression. "Geez, I don't know doc, but that seems to me would draw some serious attention…like world wide news special." She sent him a not so sincere smile. "You get a C for effort though."

"You will die," Dr. Bowlin growled.

"No," Lizzie growled, marching up to him. "You…" She pointed her finger and said, "Are going to die. And I'm going to be the one to do it."

The fireman who had tried to carry her to ambulance, while out of earshot, watched the tense confrontation and walked over to Lizzie. "Is everything alright?"

"This…this man…is bothering me," Lizzie told the fireman quickly, choking up, "and he is a doctor! Shouldn't a doctor know when a person is in shock? I'm in shock, look they gave me a blanket!"

"This girl was released from a mental facility a few months ago," Dr. Bowlin stated, quickly. "It is my opinion that she may have started the fire."

Lizzie resisted tearing him to pieces, something deep inside her chest welling up to do so. Instead, she swayed on her feet and the fireman caught her. She whimpered, "This doctor…he's…he's my father…he wasn't a nice person so my mother and I, so we ran away…please don't let him take me away!"

The fireman looked at her, frowning before looking at the doctor, "Henry!" Another fireman walked over.

"Yea?"

"Can you escort this man behind the police line?"

Fireman Henry nodded before grabbing Dr. Bowlin's arm. "Come on, sir!"

"You don't know what you are doing!" When the good doctor's pleads fell flat he sent a look straight at Lizzie. "You don't know what you have done, little girl! Cut off one head...two more shall take its place."

Her eyebrow shot up at the vague and strange threat. Fireman Henry just snorted and shouted at one of the cops, "Frank, I think we have one more for the fun house."

Lizzie felt a vague smirk of satisfaction settle itself on her lips as she watched them throw him in the back of the car as the fireman led her back to the ambulance. She sat down on the edge of it, listening to the paramedic checking her vitals. Her head woozy, her eye lids felt heavy and she wanted nothing more to rest. But those men…they wouldn't rest…her threat to doctor lingered in the forefront of her mind. Could she really go to that level? Buffy didn't it. Buffy's moral compass was so strong…Then Lizzie's eyes fell on her mother's body being zipped up in the body bag.

Her jaw locked. "I'm not Buffy."

"What was that?" The paramedic asked.

"I…" Lizzie looked up at them. "I need a moment alone."

The paramedic followed her gaze and nodded, "You're all good, apart from bruising and scrapes. You're very lucky."

"So people keep saying…" She let her voice fade away and the paramedic left her alone while getting something out of the front of the vehicle. By the time he got back, Lizzie would be gone.

* * *

A few minutes later, a few blocks away, Lizzie stole from fresh clothes hanging out on a line and used the hose to clean herself off.

_I am not Buffy. And I will not only go that far…_

_I will go farther._

* * *

Next chapter: Confrontation, allies, and grief will made and addressed.

RRs are appreciated.


	5. To Fall and Bleed Pt 1 of 3

Disclaimer: I own nothing! No Buffy, no Avengers! I don't own them, I am just writing this for amusment.

I would like to thank all those who are tracking this and the read it! :D And to the reviewers, THANK YOU SO MUCH!

And special thanks to the Astorial and Insanity Red for putting me in their communities.

* * *

_Oh tragedy has taken so many Love lost cause it all forgot who you were And it scares me to think that I would choose My life over you Oh my selfish heart Divides me from you It tears us apart—Beautiful Ending, Barlow Girl_

**Chapter Five  
To Fall and Bleed Part 1**

They were coming. Hydra had found them.

Her heart pounded in her ribcage, she watched them closing in on their hiding spot. Lizzie shot a quick look over at the two people, the two lives she had dragged into this mess and couldn't help feel guilty. She pushed the computer bag into Oz's hands and told him. "Go. Go now."  
Oz looked at her. "Liz…"

"Ten minutes. Wait for me for ten minutes and if I'm not out of here by then you guys run. Run and…give the information to…I don't the CIA, the FBI, drive all the way to the white house and give to the president himself, just…" She took a shaky breath. "Just make sure…to get it to someone who can stop them."

"You're coming with us." Oz told her, firmly.

She backed away from them. "Ten minutes."

"Ten minutes…" Oz confirmed.

Lizzie watched the two make there way down the street and out of sight, before turning around and marching towards the two 'police officers' sent to arrest her.

They paused upon seeing her marching towards them.

Lizzie just sent them a sinister grin, as a power she hadn't felt in ages rose in her chest. Same, but different. She could deal with different.

**34 hours earlier**

The rain chilled her to the bone.

It didn't matter she couldn't feel it. She couldn't feel anything, but the whelming sense of numbness building in her chest. Her legs had a life of their own as they marched her down the pavement and her eyes just moving over the scenery, not really caring at what she was seeing. Lizzie Summers was falling quickly into a bad place.

Her fingers twirled the card in her hand shakily and she forced a breath into her burning lungs. Fogginess wrapped around her mind and only one though sinks through.

_My mom is dead…my mom is dead…they killed her! They killed her!_ Red filled her vision and she wanted nothing more than…than to find something and rip it apart! Her fingers curled around the small piece of paper, and she slammed her eyes shut, pausing in step and lent all her strength to hold back tears. _Blood…there had been so much…_

Snapping her eyes open and glaring at the world, she mentally scowled herself, This is not the time. I can't do this right now. We have to keep moving. We have to keep going. She started moving forward again, her body knowing a destination that her mind did not.  
Her mind didn't care where she went; it was too busy coming up with a way of revenge. Where do you begin when you take down an evil organization? The flunkies? Beat them until they give up good information?

She stopped, glancing up as a sense of being watched prickled into her mind. She tilted her head to see out of the corner of her eye a camera mounted on one of the parking lot lights. She frowned, before pulling her hoodie over her face. She didn't know how far HYDRA's influence went and she really didn't want to test it. _And what the hell was the with the web of lights when Dr. Bowlin lied? Is that the power that Whistler and the Oracles spoke of? Was she some sort of human lie detector or was it more?_ Her head hurt so she stopped thinking about it.

Robotically, she slipped into the 24 hour mall. With no money, nothing to her name, she couldn't rent a hotel or motel room. She had no choice; this would be where she slept tonight. She glanced around, seeing only a handful of people walking around. A janitor and a couple of security guards who were eyeing a group of teenagers huddling in a circle, Lizzie eyed them all warily before twisting the piece of paper in her hand nervously.

With slow and shuffled steps, she found a bench and slumped on it and placed her head into her hands. _I get all the files on the computer unlocked, understand what I'm dealing with…and then take it from there._She closed her eyes, feeling all energy drain from her body and desperately grasped for a memory of her mother's smiling, happy and alive amidst all the blood and pain swirling inside her. And with that image, Lizzie fell asleep into a troubled sleep.

* * *

Agent Phil Coulson didn't have normal days anymore.

In fact, he was pretty sure he would never have normal days ever again. He was proven right as he stared at the surveillance footage on the computer. With a sigh, he glanced at the donut shop before going in. Stark sat at the table with Nick Fury, and said with his trademark sarcasm said, "I told you I don't want to join your super secret boy band."

Coulson's lips twitched. He felt a presence beside him and glanced down at the Black Widow. Her face was black, closed off as always, "What is the problem?"

"We had a situation down in Los Angeles," Phil murmured, just as quiet. "One Director Fury will be very interested in."  
Natasha nodded, heading towards the group and Coulson headed back to his position outside. Fury asked, "How is that working out for you?"

"It-It-It-It's..." When Tony didn't have a good answer, he used his own sarcasm. "I'm sorry, I don't want to get off on the wrong foot. Do I look at the patch or the eye? Honestly, I'm a bit hung over. I'm not sure if you're real or…or if I'm having deliriu…"  
Fury cut him off. "I am very real. I'm the realest person you're ever gonna meet."

"Just my luck." Tony sulked before lifting his head up to look around the empty place. "Where's the staff here?" However that movement revealed the dark veins on Tony's neck. Fury pulled down Tony's collar and inspected it. "That's not looking so good."  
Tony pulled back. "It's been worse."

Natasha stopped in front on them. "We've secured the perimeter." She gave Fury a pointed look before tilting her head towards Coulson who stood by the van outside. "But I don't think we should hold it for too much longer."

Tony too distracted by realizing who Natasha really worked for missed Fury glancing out at Coulson. Coulson caught his bosses look and pointed to the laptop open on the hood of the van. "Huh... you're... fired."

Natasha allowed a small and slightly taunting smirk to appear. "That's not up to you."

He narrowed his eyes on her before returning in gaze to Fury, who giving him the evil eye…which wasn't much different from how he normally looked. "You've been very busy. You made your girl your CEO, you're giving away all your stuff. You let your friend fly away with your suit. Now, if I know better..." Fury's words hit the right button because Tony interrupted him.

"You don't know better. I didn't give it to him. He took it."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. He took it?" Fury stated, with much disbelief. "You're Iron Man and he just took it? The little brother walked in there, kicked your ass and took your suit? Is that possible?"

Natasha answered, looking bored. "Well, according to Mr. Stark's database security guidelines, there are redundancies to prevent unauthorized usage."

Tony looked between them to before asking, "What do you want from me?"

"What do we want from you? Uh-uh." The SHIELD Director shook his head as Natasha rose from her seat leaving them to grab something.

"What do you want from me? You have become a problem, a problem I have to deal with. Contrary to your belief, you are not the center of my universe. I have bigger problems in the southwest region to deal with. Hit him!"

That something that Natasha went to get was the needle now in Tony's neck. Tony groaned, "Oh, God, are you gonna steal my kidney and sell it?" Natasha sent Fury a look and Fury just shook his head, exasperated. After removing the needle, Natasha back off and Tony continued, nonplussed, "Could you please not do anything awful for five seconds? What did she just do to me?"

"What did we just do _for_ you? That's lithium dioxide. It's gonna take the edge off. We're trying to get you back to work."

"Give me a couple boxes of that. I'll be right as rain."

Natasha stated sharply, "It's not a cure, it just abates the symptoms."

"Doesn't look like it's gonna be an easy fix," Fury stated, staring him down.

A few more words were exchanged until they finally convinced Stark to go back to his home, with them of course accompanying him. Tony shrugged off the agent who was leading him to a black van and glanced over at Fury who was in a heated discussion with Agent Coulson.

"What is so important it couldn't wait, Agent Coulson?" Fury's voice sharp.

Coulson simply looked at him and said, "Hydra."

Fury's one eye widened before a grim look settled onto his features and Coulson pulled up the footage on the computer, quickly.

"We got a match for two Hydra agents. Niko Stravos and Erik Lenin. Very little on the two, other than they are extremely dangerous, they both have criminal records and Hydra recruited them after they were given paroles from a Russian prison suddenly last year." Coulson then paused before glancing at his superior. "But that isn't the interesting bit."

Fury didn't need to ask as he watched a woman, hood up concealing her face, attacked the two Hydra agents. Her movements fluid and graceful, a deadly little thing, though Hydra's men did get more than just a few punches in before she swiftly took them down. She then took off barely visible in the crowd before disappearing out the mall doors.

Blonde. That's all they knew. She was blonde, but not one photo of her face, her back turned to the camera when they went back to the girl waltzed into the mall. They watched two males, one red head, the other with dark hair, approach her and go into a store. The store didn't have any footage, so it was a dead end. Fury pinched the bridge of his nose. He snapped at his agents, "Get a team down there, clean this up and get me some answers."

"Already have one sent out."

"Also," Fury paused before giving the demand, "I want that girl found and brought in. I want it done quick and under the radar. I don't want Hydra to know we know they're up to something."

Phil wanted to point out they knew nothing, but decided it was best to stay quiet. "Should we worry about finding the other two, also?" Agent Coulson asked, following Fury to the other van. "Sir," he added.

"Agent Coulson," Fury began dryly, "you saw that girl, right? Saw how she fought? How easily she took down two, trained and highly dangerous individuals, as they were nothing more than girl scouts selling cookies," he glared as Coulson who seemed amused, "and did it without breaking a sweat."

Fury glared at Stark who kept glancing their way and Tony adverted his gaze. The Director then stared Coulson down, "The girl is the priority, Agent Coulson. Find her. You won't like what happens if you don't."

The Director got into the vehicle and Coulson sighed.

He missed the normal days. And he was pretty sure, he could kiss them all goodbye.

* * *

Tony Stark frowned. He did not like not knowing things. It made him slightly twitchy, not knowing something that is. Perhaps it was curiosity, perhaps it was ego. Whatever it was, he liked knowing things. The tension in the vehicle was so thick one could cut it with a knife, he glanced at Natasha sitting beside him and the Director sitting in the front seat. He tried to appear nonchalant perhaps a little sullen, because appearing anything else would have given him away.

Little did they know, that he would soon know what they were looking at (and other things) because he had Jarvis hack into that computer and now all that footage was on his phone. He had feeling this was going to prove interesting.

* * *

**32 hour earlier**

When Daniel Osbourne woke this fateful morning, he didn't expect many things. He didn't expect to have to fix a flat tire, he didn't expect to spill coffee on his shirt, but most of all he didn't expect to meet her again, the wheelchair girl from the mall. And he didn't expect the irrevocable changes that she would bring… "Hi, Bernie," he waved to the security guard before heading towards his store. He felt his whole come to a sudden stop when his eyes moved of the dirty blonde curled up on the bench out cold. His eyes brows rose in surprise and he took slow steps towards her, tilting his head. "Uh…hello…?"

He jumped back after touching her shoulder. It was like springing a mouse trap, her green eyes snapped open and a snarl curled her lips as she launched herself off the bench towards him, only to almost fall over as she awkwardly caught herself realizing who he was. "Oz?" She blinked hard. "What…what are you doing here?"

"It's Daniel and," he added licking his lips, trying to appear anything, but freaked out. "…I work here." He pointed and she looked up at the unlit sign:

**TronTalk Café**

"Huh." She murmured, her eyes roaming over the sign before returning to him. "So you do."

He watched her turn her eyes on him, and inwardly shivered at the hollow eyes looking through him. She then looked away taking her place on the bench, "What are you doing here?"

Lizzie paused, freezing on the bench and her brows furrowed. "Honestly…I don't know…"

"Maybe I should ask what my business card did to you," He teased, but his voice held more worry than humor.

She looked down at the ruined piece of paper in her hand. It was barely recognizable. She remembered pulling it out of her pants pocket and reading it before…before she went on autopilot and started walking. She blinked then quietly admitted, "I don't the answer to that either."

"Are you okay?" He finally asked the question on his mind.

"No…" She replied, rising from the bench. "No, I'm not okay. I'm so far from being okay that…" She shook her head, not able to finish her sentence. Her shoulder's weighed down as if the weight of the world dragged her down, and a terrible darkness filled her eyes. "I have to go. I have things…" She took a step to leave when her legs buckled and a pained look cross her face. Arms shot out and held her up.

She blinked looking over at Daniel in surprise. Not because he caught her, because he didn't. But because she was wondering who the heck had caught her. A rich male voice chuckled and said, "Do you fall for me like this all the time or am I just special?"  
_Arrogant son of a…_She thought retching herself out of the man's arms and turning to chew him out when the words choked in her throat.

The man in front of her was none other than Jesse McNally.

* * *

**RRs are appreciated. Feedback helps me, and I always answer every review. :D**

**I apologize for it being short, but I really wanted to set up the timeline when Lizzie's story is taking place and a few more key characters and give a little hint at all the action that's going to take place in the next chapter…hint, hint.**


	6. Interlude: Shake Things Up

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Buffy and Marvel and everything associated with it belongs solely to its creator. This is not for profit, only amusement for me and for readers.**

**This will be mainly in Marvel Universe, with light Buffyverse mentions.**

**Hope you enjoy!**

**The votes have been counted...and it's a tie between the Captain and our favorite archer which leaves me with three options.**

**1.) Hawkeye/Buffy, he knows the darkness inside of her and he could be an anchor. With Captain/Buffy friendship.**

**2.) Captain/Buffy, he is a little black and white, but could be there when the darkness gets too much for Buffy. Everyone needs a nightlight. With Hawkeye/Buffy friendship**

**3.) (Because my friend bugged me) CaptainBuffyHawkeye. Both have great things to offer her and well, I suppose I could write it...I think...*sweat drops***

-Interlude-

Odin, the Allfather of Asgard, brows furrowed with something interupted his deep pondering. Something different, something familiar, tugging on his powers and sent a shiver down his spine. It was the thing that made his wife's trapestry of destiny to fall apart, and then rewoven. Something that shook the universe to it's very core.

Something ancient. And it was oh, so troubling.

For destiny told that both his sons would be pulled in by this force, but how? When? Why? How could he prepare them for something they didn't know? Odin had went to Hemidall, who offered only little explanation. Whoever or whatever this force was hidden from his gaze. He could only sense where they generally were and nothing more. A thing that only in Odin's mind confirmed his fears.

He rose his elaborate throne and paced the length of the room several times, his footfalls echoing across the walls. No one had seen much of the king as of late, he had locked himself away to better think. But today, someone interupted.

The door creeked open and his wife stepped through. Her face was unreadable, while her eyes searched over him, worrying shining in them. She shut the door silently and came to stand in front of him. For a moment, they just stared at one another before she commented, quietly, "You missed supper. Thor and Loki were quite upset they couldn't tell you of their...lastest adventure."

"I'm sorry if I upset anyone," Odin apologized. Never would he apologize to anyone, except her. He would only show this side to her.

His wife's head tilted, her eyes sharp. He knew tha nothing could be hidden from her, and she sighed. "You are worried."

"And you are not?" Odin looking over his wife knew this wasn't true. Her eyes had bags under them, and her dress hanging off her form. Even immortals were no safe from all illness, especially that of the soul.

"Of course I am," she gave him a slight glare before softening. "Thor and Loki are strong. They will handle whatever storms may come. You have to have faith..."

"Have faith? All we've ever known about destiny, about the world we know, is crumbling beneath our feet." Odin moved to take his throne once more, his body feeling all his thousands of years in that moment. "How can we protect them from what's to come? How can we prepare them? Tell me?"

She smiled softly and drew herself towards her husband until she stood before him. Leaning down, she cupped his face, peering into his eyes...er, eye. And smiled, "We can't protect them from everything, dear. We all can teach them what we can and hope that they learn and do their best with what we have given them. Please, do not let this trouble you further. Now...come to bed. I have a warm plate of food waiting for you."

She leaned down giving him a soft kiss before heading out of throne room. He watched her leave, letting her words sink in. He felt a sense of relief...

And sense of purpose. Rising from his throne determination on his face, thinking, _We can't protect them from everything...but we can try._

He went to them. They were both giant and ferocious as they had been when he first found them. They had been faithful guards to Asgard and would defend it to the death.

"Geri and Freki, there is something I need of you..."

* * *

RRs are appreciated.


	7. To Fall and Bleed Pt 2 of 3

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Buffy belongs to Joss. Marvel belongs to Disney or Stan Lee. Nothing is mine.**  
**OMG! I am so happy with all the reviewers and feedback! I appreciate it so much. Thank you all! THANK YOU THANK YOU! :D**  
**Pairings: Still on fence**

* * *

**Chapter Six 'To Fall and Bleed Pt 2 of 3'**

**31 and half hours left**

She was slightly perturbed.

Okay, that was a lie. She more than slightly perturbed as she tried to stare anywhere but the dead man's face. When she had saw Jesse McNally, her stomach fell into a never ending abyss and guilt wafted through her. Not many knew how hard the death of Jesse hit Buffy, the guilt she carried afterwards. Pursing her lips, Lizzie tried to shrug off these feeling and the man's arms, "Uh, thank you." Then she added,

"And don't flatter yourself."

Jesse let out a bark out laughter, slightly surprised by the reaction. "You're welcome and I hope you don't feel offended if I do." He then looked over to Daniel and said, "Who's your girlfriend?"

"She's not my girlfriend," Daniel glowered at his friend, then looked at Lizzie who once again reclaimed her sit on the bench shaking out her legs. "Are you okay?"

"Yea…yea, just my legs…"

"Do you have your wheelchair?"

The question made Lizzie halt and remember the inferno eating away eagerly at her house. Her wheelchair was probably a metal piece of junk by now. "No," she answered, quietly. Moving her hands over her legs, trying to massage the pain out of them. "I'll be fine. I just need a few moments."

Glancing over at his friend for a brief second, Daniel offered, "Why don't you come in sit in the store then? We have more comfortable chairs than these benches out here." He sent Jesse a glare as the dark haired man was about to say something. Jesse closed his mouth with the roll of his eyes, but his lips were up in a slight grin.

Lizzie halted, wondering if that was such a good idea. Running into not only one, but two familiar faces, from the other world especially when life altering changes had happened in her life…it sounded like something other than coincidence was at work. And if there was one than Lizzie hated more than Hydra, it was her destiny being out of her hands. Swallowing the sudden wave of trepidation, she tried to smile, "If it's not too much of a bother."

Minutes later, Jesse and Oz were moving about getting ready for the day while Lizzie sat by the counter where they sold coffee. She glanced over at the computers, and asked, "Who thought that a coffee shop and computer shop would go well together?"

"Geeks," Jesse supplied, putting more UBS cords on the shelves. "You see geeks get very fixated on things, when they get fixated on things, they want to get them done and they need something to help them stay awake. Ergo caffeine beverages."

Lizzie gave him a half smile. "Talking from experience?"

"We plea the fifth," Daniel sent her a grin.

Lizzie returned it with a chuckled, before her lips turned downward in a frown. Anger boiling quickly in her stomach. _You don't have time for this._

Perhaps, it was because despite being strangers, their familiar faces gave her a sense of peace (and slight guilt). And she didn't want peace. Not until Hydra paid for what they had done. Narrowing her eyes, she strengthened her resolve. Lizzie will not let go of her anger and pain until every last one of them is dead. Daniel looked over at her and asked, "Are you okay?"

"Yea," she released her vice grip on the cup, looking down at the crack now forming in it. "I'm sorry. I will pay for that." Then winced when she realized she didn't have any money.

"It's not problem," Daniel waved it off.

"At least it's a broke cup, not some idiot spilling coffee over a thousand dollar computer because he's pissed we don't have what he needed," Jesse commented, looking over something on the computer screen and typing.

Lizzie raised an eyebrow sensing a story, but shook her head. "Oz…" she corrected, "Sorry, Daniel. Daniel, Jesse, thank you for your hospitality, but I…I have to get out of here."

"Oz?" Jesse asked. "Wizard of Oz? This is the girl who called you that?"  
Judging by the sour look Daniel sent his friend, Lizzie realized why he snapped when she called him it earlier today when he had liked it when they first met. Trying to keep his face calm, he asked, "Are you sure you're okay?"

She opened her mouth to tell them that she was fine, instead what came out was, "My mom…she passed away…" _No, she's was murder, a bullet straight to the heart…_ Swallowing the bitterness that threatened to fill, she pressed on after both me gave them their condolences, "Thank you. It's just…hit me hard."

"So why come here?" Jesse asked, bluntly. Daniel elbowed his friend and Lizzie had a ghost of a smile on her lips.

"I actually need computer help, funny enough," Lizzie didn't think it would hurt to tell them this and after all the closer she stuck to the truth, the less chance she could be caught in a lie…or them involved in anything. "I have files that are locked and everything I've done hasn't gotten them open. I needed to…know…if there is anyway to get past the encryptions."

"Encryptions?" Jesse appeared taken back. "What the heck do have on your computer that needs encryptions?"

"It's my father's computer," she snapped, defensively. Perhaps this was a bad idea after all. "And that's what I'm trying to figure out."

"Why would your dad need encrypt—" Jesse began but Daniel hushed his friend up with, "Jesse, it isn't any of our business."

"Dude, some chick you met at the undercover job, comes here with a computer with encrypted files? What if she is like a Russian spy?" Jesse pointed at her.

Lizzie refrained from speaking in a Russian accent and asking him, 'What do you know about moose and squirrel?', but just barely. Instead she stated sarcastically, "Yes, I am a Russian spy sent here to kill or brainwash the geeks of America with subliminal messaging."

"I'm surprise someone as blond as you knows what subliminal means," Jesse shot back.

"Hey, this is natural! Not dyed!" She snapped, pointing to mess upon her head. She glared at him heatedly and grinned when Jesse flinched back from it, but didn't look away. That's when it happened again. It was much like what happened with Dr. Bowlin. The web, except instead of a mass of distorted lines, it was a light glow in or around-she couldn't tell-Jesse. Lizzie frowned wondering what the difference was and if this what Whistler meant about her empathic sort of power? Cause it was giving her motion sickness.

It hit her. Dr. Bowlin had been lying to her, and the lines burst outward angrily colored red as if warning her. This web surrounding Jesse in a red haze wasn't lies, it was emotions. He didn't like her being here, not anymore. Something she had said, changed his open friendliness quickly to discomfort. Lizzie pondered this quietly, still wishing that she had something cooler than being a human lie and emotions detector. Lizzie pouted, running her fingers over the counter.

"Is the computer in that bag?" Daniel suddenly asked.

"Huh?" She blinked.

"The computer…with the files…" Daniel asked slowly. "Is that the computer?"

"Yes…" Lizzie said, tensing up slightly. "Why?"

"Do you need someone to look at it?" He titled his head.

"I…I guess…but not right now," Lizzie stated, shaking her head. "I didn't bring any money and…" She pinched the bridge of her nose. "I really should get going."

"Why do you have your dad's computer?" Jesse asked, suddenly.

Lizzie held him with a steady stare. "He left it."

"That doesn't explain why you are so eager to get into it," the young man pointed out. Daniel sent him a glare once again pointing out it wasn't any of their business. Jesse ignored it, "Won't your father need it?"

"I'm sure he's too busy with his mistress to realize its gone." Lizzie remarked coolly. Something flickered in Jesse's eyes like she had just confirmed something.

"Oh…let me guess," Jesse said, looking down at her. "Daddy took everything and ran and now you're looking for a way to blackmail him to get money?" Lizzie opened her mouth and he pointed at her shoes, "Gucci shoes aren't cheap."

Her first instincts were to hit him, or say something in her defense. Instead, she bit her tongue opting to instead send him a heated glare. His theory of blackmail was more believable than the truth and could just work to her advantage.

She sat back in the chair and composed herself. "What kind of straight man knows Gucci shoes on sight?"

"I know a spoiled rich kid on sight," Jesse answered her darkly.

Lizzie raised an eyebrow. _That explains the animosity._ "Tell me...was it an ex-girlfriend? Is that why you are so…angst ridden and a big jerk?"

Jesse eyes narrowed, lips turned downward. Daniel sighed, and said, "There's a costumer. Go deal with them."

"Why do I have to deal with them?" Jesse asked.

"Because I dealt with the last one." Daniel made a shooing motion with his hand and Jesse just rolled his eyes, moving towards. "And you're being kinda of an ass."

Jesse glowered, but did as he was told.

"Sorry…about him," Oz stated when his friend was out of earshot. "He's a bit…touchy…about certain things."

"I noticed," Lizzie muttered dryly. She stood, sending Oz a polite smile, "I appreciate you letting me sit here, and the coffee, but I have to get going."

"Oh, it was no problem," Daniel brushed it off.

Lizzie tried mustering up a sincere smile, but failed. She turned and walked out of the shop. Daniel put a few things away when he saw the computer bag sitting on the floor. He cursed, grabbing it and ran out the shop. "Hey! Hey!" He shouted in hopes of getting her attention.  
Looking back and forth through the mall, he tried to spot her, but she was long gone. Lamely, he said, "You…forgot you're bag…"

* * *

Nick Fury was having a heck of day.

Hydra had suddenly resurface, coupled with this blonde that was trying to kick said evil organization's ass and doing a surprisingly good job at it. Which made Nick very, very determined to find this girl.

It should have been easy. Video cameras were on every street, every record digital and with the amount of influence  
SHIELD had, it should have been _so easy_. It became apparent quickly that it wouldn't be easy at all.

This girl, or someone was covering her tracks. Video feeds, records, destroyed with a virus that not even their best analysts had yet to figure out. Nick sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. This was giving him a headache.

A big headache.

* * *

**30 hours earlier**

Lizzie had left the computer shop and roamed around the mall, keeping her hood up as she thought about how to come up with some money. She had money in the bank, but Hydra was probably watching it. It's not paranoia if they are really out to get you.

She supposed, she could always get the money and then flee very quickly. She chewed on her bottom lip, thoughtfully. It was a risk she was going to have to take. She walked ten blocked before she finally found a bank. Cautiously, she pulled up her hoodie and made her way to the ATM. Brushing her blonde locks into her face as she eyed the camera, she fetched her card out of her pocket.

She vaguely remembered her mom getting after her saying she should keep her card in a pocket. It might bend it. The inane comment hit her hand and Lizzie felt her knees buckle slightly. Swallowing thickly, she put the card into the ATM wiping a few tears that ran down her cheek.

She put in the pin number, sending a wary glance around her. She quickly put in the maximum amount of four hundred dollars and took the cash when the machine spit it out when the hairs on the back of her neck rose and she spun around only to have something hard slammed across her face. She saw stars flash across her vision much like those in cartoon and then everything fell black.

It was dreamless unconscious. Nothingness that seemed to last forever until it suddenly hit her like a brick wall. Salt. The smell of hit her so swiftly, she immediately roused from sleep. Blinking groaning as her skull throbbed painfully, when she realized she was bound to a chair. Her green eyes flickered around and she realized that not only was she bound, she was in some type of abandon warehouse. "Great…That's just great."

A bright light was pinned down on her face. She tilted her head, pointing her eyes other where. She realized that she was in some kind of warehouse. She hissed as someone grabbed her hair, pulling on it harshly. "Where is it?"

"It?" She shifted, uncomfortably. "It can be many things. Be more specific."

"The computer, the files, where are they?"

_They were on her, right?_ Lizzie closed her eyes in half despair and half relief, she had accidentally left the computer with Daniel and Jesse.

"Not with me," she answered, lightly.

The grip on her hair tightened before releasing her. She watched as a stern looking man, a long jagged scar running down each side of his face and his blue soulless eyes stared into her. "Do you know who you are dealing with?"  
She gave him an unimpressed look and eyed his bald head, "Mr. Clean's evil cousin?"

He snapped something in another language and she felt two people shift forward. One man grabbed her face holding her still by her chin and hair, and the other brought forth a tray of objects. Pliers, scalpels, 8-inch knives, and more. Lizzie's eyes slowly widened as a sliver of fear shot through her already racing heart. Her gaze snapped to evil Mr. Clean, and she summoned all her courage and met his gaze steadily. "Pliers? Scalpels? With a name like Hydra I expect some originality. You have so failed the evil mastermind quiz."

The man just stared at her as if she were speaking another language before proceeding to pick up the knife. "Who are you working for?"

"The Muffin man," Lizzie said, dryly. If she was going to die, she was going to die with her sarcasm intact. "You know, the one who lives on Drury Lane."

That earned her a punch to the face. "Who…are you working for?" This time, a blade was pressed against her cheek.

"Oh…I don't know," Lizzie tried to lean back away from the blade. "Who are your bosses most afraid of?"

Seeing the men exchange glance, she lied, "I work for them."

"She lies," one man spat. "She's too sloppy for a SHEILD agent."

"Your face is sloppy," Lizzie snapped.

The man muttered something under his breath in another language before asking, "Where is the computer now?"

"Nope," Lizzie shook her head, flinching as the man tugged her head further back and Mr. Clean now held the blade pressed against her pulse beating wildly in her throat. "That would be giving you my leverage and for someone in position, not exactly productive choice."  
The blade still, before lifting from her the neck to her right cheek and sliced. Lizzie jerked, biting her tongue as pain exploded across her face and she felt blood pool down the side of her face.

"Your sarcasm is becoming tiring."

Lizzie felt swallowed back the blood, and drew in a sharp breath. "No need to be jealous that you can't keep up with my witting repartee," she managed to get out, her entire body shuddering.

"Where is the computer?"

"Don't you have kitchen to help," Lizzie looked straight up at baldy, "clean?"

Another slash, this on her collarbone. Another question, another answer, another cut. The pain kept building up and building up, but she managed to hold. She managed to not break. Twenty minutes later, she was bleeding everywhere, but she was holding on by a thread. _A thread,_ she thought swallowing a mouthful of blood as she punched, _but I'm still here._ Her head hurt and started to feel light. A bitter laugh was on her tongue, but she managed to swallow it back as she waited for the man to aske the same questions he had been asking. Where are the files? Where is the computer? Who do you work for?

"What did you tell them?"

"Tell who?" Lizzie stilled, thrown by the sudden change in the questioning.

"Those two boys…"

Lizzie froze, her stomach clenching as her blood chilled with dread. They knew about Daniel and had been following her since then. _Oh, God. Are they okay? Are they alright?_ Her throat constricted and she tried to say that they had nothing to do with it, but the man sliced her left arm from the shoulder down to her elbow causing Lizzie to let out a whimper of pain.

"Doesn't matter. We have orders to take them out either way," the man said. "No loose ends."

_No!_ Lizzie thought, eyes widened.

Suddenly an loud ominous bang, echoed through the warehouse. Everyone froze and the sounds of growling broken the silence. The men started rapidly speaking in another language, and one man walked out of the warehouse a gun held in his tense grasp.  
Lizzie shifted, starting to pull her wrists out of the binds, eyes flickering between the two men.

He leaned down getting her face, "Any last words?"

She froze when she felt the barrel of a gun slid underneath her chin. Taking deep angry breaths, rage boiling in her veins and she felt her binds begin to give way. She closed her eyes, then reopened them to send him a vicious glare.

"Four." She croaked out, a vicious smirk crossed her lips, "Loose…end…this…bitch."

She had reached around grabbing the scalpel from the tray and plunged it right into his neck. She flinched back as a fountain of blood spurted forth, hitting her face. She pulled her legs up to her chest and then put her feet on his stomach, pushing him away easily now that his grip had went slack.

He stumbled back his gun falling to the floor when he reached up towards his throat. It did no good. Lizzie pushed herself off of the chair, rubbing her neck and watched as the man slumped to the floor. He gurgled for his last breath and he stared straight at her. Anger, disbelief, in those dark eyes before it disappeared leaving blank glazed look.

Lizzie took a deep shaky breath, standing on her own two feet with a surprising steadiness. Horror. It swelled within her as her mind finally came to grips with what she had done. She supposed she should sway, throw up or something of that nature…however a stronger feeling came overriding that.

A sense of accomplishment…a sense of satisfaction. _This is the beginning…_, she told herself silently after retrieving the knife and gun. _All of Hydra would pay._

"No! GOD PLEASE NOOO-argh!"

Lizzie whirled around towards the sounds of rapid gunfire and screams. There was sound of something being ripped apart, before it became very quiet. Eerily quiet.

The air felt thick, and it was hard to breath. Lizzie watched the entrance, and she knew there was something beyond it. Something not human. A shadow, large and giant, was cast on the floor. Lizzie looked around and spotted a catwalk.

She turned, running up the stairs trying to make her footsteps as quiet as possible, and ducked down on the catwalk to watch the shadow draw closer and closer to the entrance. Until finally the two shadows emerged into sight.

_Wolves?_ Lizzie thought, stunned. There weren't ordinary wolves. They were like wolves on steroids, three times the size of a normal wolf with golden armor layered upon their chest. She was going to assume they weren't Hydra, since she was pretty sure that the other two Hydra men were dead. Or worse.

Lizzie slowly made her way down the catwalk closer to the exit as the wolves ventured farther into the room. One had fur, silver as the glowing full moon. The other pitch black as a moonless and starless night. _What the fuck?_ Lizzie thought, keeping wide eyes on them as they went towards the dead body. Their nose flaring as they breathed in. Scents. They are looking for something.

The silvery one made it's way to the chair she was strapped into and smelt it before letting out a small growl. The black wolf raised his head away from the Hydra man's body, and growled in return.

_They are looking for me._

The realization was a like a vat of cold water being dumped on her. She had to get to the exit. She couldn't fight these things. She would be torn apart. Slowly, Lizzie pulled herself over the railing of the catwalk, carefully watching the wolves knowing she only had one chance at this.

Sucking in a sharp breath, she closed her eyes mustering up the courage. Then she jumped down.

Her feet hitting the ground with a loud clap. A jolt of pain went through her body, but she didn't have time to linger on that. Behind her loud howls and growls erupted behind her, and she did the only thing she could do.

Run.

The old, abandoned warehouse becoming like a maze as she flew down the hallways, turning right and left. Anything too lose the wolved sprinting after her. She couldn't stop, couldn't make sure she was going the right way. She just knew she had to run. Sharply she turned right and when she was halfway down the darken hallway, she heard giant thuds of the wolves turning sharply behind her.

_Not now,_she thought angrily as a web of lines began to form in front of her path. It flared red in warning. But out of the corner her eyes, she saw that up to the left, it was flaring blue. Lizzie didn't have a chance to wonder, and she just hoped it was the right thing as she ran to the left.

She saw a landing twenty feet in front of her. Some sort of loading bay judging by the hooks dangling from the ceiling. The blue web shot out and stretched forth to the hook dangling in the air. Lizzie ran towards the railing without a second thought. Her feet hit using it as a boost and she leapt forward. Her hands reached out, grabbing the hook. The force of her body, swung the hook forward and she was flying through the air.

She stopped herself from being smashed against the wall, by throwing out her feet and catching herself. Immediately, Lizzie looked over her shoulder and watched in horror as the silvery wolf picked up sped before leaping as well. It body sailed through the air, it's wide jaw filled with razor sharp ivory teeth coming towards her. Her heart pounded in her ears. In a split second, Lizzie twisted her body swinging out of the way just in time as a wall of flying fur sailed past her. There was a loud crash, and a loud yelp. The other wolf that slid to a stop let out an anguished howl.

_One down…_Lizzie thought glancing down at the beast, impaled of several pieces of metal. Blood staining it's beautiful silver fur. A snarling sound made her look up at the black wolf, it's lip curled and it's eyes glaring through her. _One to go…_

She let go of the hook, dropping down. She spared the injured wolf another a glance before sprinting down the hallway filled with light hoping the light was a way out. Her lungs burned, her wounds ache and blood covered her. Her heart thundered in her chest, in rhythm with the thundering sprint the wolf took towards her.

She could feel him, right behind her. He was just too fast. She wasn't going to be able to out run him.

She let out a light scream as a paw grazed her back. She tumbled forward and landed on her face. Hot breath spilled across her back and she knew in that instant that this was no normal animal. She knew that it was sentient, knew that it was smart. Knew that it intend to make her death most painful to avenge it's friend. With a surprising swift, Lizzie slipped out the knife and her arm swung backward in an arc, praying to blade hit flesh.

There was a loud cry of anger and pain. The wolf pulling back, and Lizzie shoved herself forward, pushing all her strength, all her thought into running.

_Light._ That had to be the way out, right? Lizzie made her way to the light, before she stopped short. Her heart thundering in her chest when a loud growl echoed from the other end of the hallway. She had trapped herself in. The door to her left and right were board up and would take too long to break down. By the time she did that, she would be puppy chow.

She peered at the window, the seconds ticking by forever as she saw she was still quite a distance from the ground. A loud growl echoed from the other end of the hallway and Lizzie took in a breath before pulling out the gun. She whirled around and shooting at the wolf. Her aim was good, fur went flying. Splatters of blood. But the wolf was far too enraged from it's hurt companion that the pain meant nothing.

She had seconds to decide.

Dive through the window…

Or be ripped around.

The choice was simple.

So, she jumped.

* * *

**RRs are appreciated.**

THE WOLVES ARE ODIN'S. For anyone confused. :D


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